Again, lateral thinkers are moving through Berlin – despite the ban. Police helicopters are circling over the capital, and there are numerous arrests at the Corona demo.
Berlin – Lateral thinkers and other opponents of the Corona policy gathered in Berlin on Saturday (28.08.2021) despite the ban on some events. According to the police, there were around a thousand demonstrators. There were initially 36 provisional arrests. The police accompanied the individual trains and, according to their own statements, repeatedly pulled ringleaders out of the groups. There were several attacks on emergency services, initially one policeman was injured.
After several bans on individual gatherings, a large number of them walked aimlessly through the streets at the beginning, according to reporters from the German Press Agency. Initially, individual groups moved through the Friedrichshain district. The vast majority of people were traveling without masks or other corona protective measures.
Lateral thinking demo in Berlin: Angry opponents: inside the corona measures
In the neighboring district of Prenzlauer Berg, the protesters tried again and again to join a “train of love”, to which around 10,000 people were expected to listen to house and techno music. The police prevented this with barriers. The Spiegel TV reporter Thomas Heise shared a video on Twitter that showed a heated mood. He reported that one of the demonstrators called him a “fascist” – it was his former flower seller. “What times,” wrote the journalist.
Police helicopters were used to observe the confusing scenery, and large parts of the government district were cordoned off. Despite numerous bans on demonstrations, the police had prepared for larger operations. According to the company, around 2,000 workers were available, including support from Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, Bavaria and Saxony.
Corona protests in Berlin: lateral thinkers apparently issue questionable press cards
Apparently, groups around the lateral thinkers issued press cards in order to disguise demonstrators in Berlin as journalists. The German Association of Journalists condemned the action. “Absurd: Democracy enemies and media haters apparently issue masses of ‘press passes'”, wrote the DJV on Twitter.
Videos on the short message service showed protesters who marched past the Charité Berlin and loudly chanted “Drosten out”. The well-known scientist Christian Drosten is head of the Virology Department at the Charité and has been one of the most prominent corona experts since the beginning of the pandemic. Again and again he is exposed to hostility from conspiracy ideologues.
Lateral thinking protests: nine demonstrations banned in Berlin
Nine demonstrations had been banned by the police, including rallies by the lateral thinking initiative on the Strasse des 17. Juni. The administrative court rejected three urgent motions against the bans, and they granted one: A meeting with 500 expected participants each, registered for Saturday and Sunday, was allowed to take place. This event was then announced via the social network Telegram.
A year ago, on August 29, 2020, tens of thousands protested against the corona restrictions in Berlin. Demonstrators broke through a cordon at the Reichstag building, harassed the outnumbered security guards and occupied a staircase in front of an entrance for some time. The pictures of it triggered widespread outrage and also caused a stir internationally. (tvd / dpa)
Header list image: © Christophe Gateau / dpa
