Germany’s response to pro-Gaza demonstrations has drawn formal criticism from Europe’s top human rights official, who warned that police violence and protest restrictions are undermining fundamental democratic freedoms.
On Thursday 19 June, Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, said he had raised serious concerns with German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt over the state’s handling of recent public protests linked to the war in Gaza. His intervention follows months of widely documented repression, including police assaults on demonstrators — some of them minors — and sweeping bans on Palestinian flags, slogans, and assemblies.
The real face of Genocidal Germany:
German police thugs chase down a child for daring to wave the Palestinian flag in protest of Germany’s arming of Israel’s genocide in Gaza
You can always trust Germany to be violently on the wrong side of history https://t.co/OfWuBE37Hq pic.twitter.com/BdunP5pVEU
— Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) September 21, 2024
“Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must be protected even when the views expressed are controversial,” O’Flaherty warned. He highlighted the “excessive use of force” by German police and denounced restrictions on Palestinian symbols and speech, noting that such curbs contradict Europe’s human rights obligations.
The German police restore order and discipline in Berlin station. The German police are not joking. https://t.co/xh7DadbU3X pic.twitter.com/ZW0SCSylL3
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) March 30, 2024
The latest protest took place in Frankfurt, where around 500 demonstrators marched under the slogan “First Gaza, now Iran — What is Israel’s next goal?” The march, which moved from Bockenheimer Warte to Opera Square, criticised Israel’s military campaign and called for justice in the Middle East. Organisers pledged further rallies across Hesse, the German state where Frankfurt is located.
VIDEO | The German police are attacking peaceful protesters who want to show support for Palestine.#ACAB pic.twitter.com/qNggedJp5O
— Antifa_Ultras (@ultras_antifaa) June 16, 2025
Germany, a close ally of Israel, has been widely criticised for its internal clampdown on Palestinian solidarity. While it continues to resist calls within the European Union for stronger action against Israel’s war conduct, its domestic response has alarmed civil society organisations, free speech advocates, and international legal experts.
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The Council of Europe, which monitors rights and democratic standards across 46 member states, has no enforcement powers but plays a vital role in spotlighting systemic rights concerns. O’Flaherty’s remarks come amid growing European unease over Germany’s dual role — defending Israeli actions abroad while criminalising dissent at home.
VIDEO | German police attacking anti-fascist protesters to accompany neo-nazis. The spirit of the Gestapo lives on. pic.twitter.com/LHtVd7iXJx
— Antifa_Ultras (@ultras_antifaa) June 6, 2025
Earlier this week, a European Union diplomatic review concluded that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza likely breaches international humanitarian law and violates Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The European External Action Service (EEAS) cited the mass displacement of Gaza’s population, attacks on hospitals and aid convoys, and the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian relief.
Germany remains one of the few EU states to oppose sanctions or trade penalties against Israel. Human rights advocates say this stance is increasingly inconsistent with Germany’s own constitutional values and its obligations under European and international law.
