German police raid homes of pro-Palestinian activists

Police on Monday said they were investigating five men in Berlin suspected of criminal offenses "through allegedly pro-Palestinian motivated activities."

German authorities have sought to crack down on protests that they say include anti-Semitic comments and slogans as well as some incidents of violence.

However, critics have accused the German police of suppressing free speech.

What happened in the raids?

Police said they raided the homes of the five suspects on Monday morning, seizing mobile phones, computers and other data storage devices.

These were now being evaluated, the police and public prosecutor's office announced in Berlin.

The men, aged between 18 and 40, are suspected of breaching the peace, incitement of the people and using symbols of organizations outlawed in Germany.

Some 125 police officers were involved in property searches in the districts of Friedrichshain, Britz, Gropiusstadt, Tegel and Schöneberg. No arrests were made.

Police say they are investigating questions of authorship of social media posts and the suspected networking of the suspects in the pro-Palestinian scene.

The 18-year-old under investigation allegedly threw a microphone stand at Berlin's culture minister, Joe Chialo, at the opening of a local arts center in mid-September — missing but hitting a woman in the attempt.

Chialo has called for public funding to be cut from arts groups that are critical of Israel, especially those that back boycotts over the conflict in Gaza.

At a recent event, dozens of protesters reportedly chanted slogans and insulted Chialo. One young man is now suspected of disturbing the peace and attempted grievous bodily harm. Meanwhile, police say a 31-year-old is being investigated for incitement after allegedly posting on Instagram, wishing for "the return of Adolf Hitler" and "a new Holocaust," according to prosecutors.

Pro-Palestinian protests, especially in Berlin, have been common since the October 7 terror attacks on Israel and Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

German authorities frequently crack down on these demonstrations, citing anti-Semitic slogans, violent incidents, and rising tensions.

However, critics argue the German governnment and legal system can be overly sensitive on this issue, in no small part because of its World War II history and its efforts to defend Israel in the aftermath of the Holocaust. 

rc/msh (AFP, dpa, epd)