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Berlin Court Opens Trial Over Alleged Terror Propaganda and Protest Slogan

The proceedings test contested boundaries on pro-Palestinian expression in Germany.

Overview

  • A 25-year-old Syrian is charged with distributing propaganda, using symbols of a terrorist organization, and endorsing crimes linked to Instagram posts and a December 2024 chant.
  • Prosecutors allege he posted images in March and April 2024 of masked, heavily armed men carrying the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades logo with laudatory captions visible to more than 1,000 users.
  • The indictment says he shouted the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" at a Berlin-Friedrichshain demonstration, which prosecutors argue was meant to legitimize Hamas's attack as a liberation struggle.
  • Defense attorneys filed multiple motions alleging judicial bias, challenged the neutrality of a court-appointed expert, and criticized security measures, leading to repeated interruptions.
  • The court deferred rulings on the defense motions and adjourned until November 3, with roughly ten hearing days scheduled, as the case proceeds against a backdrop of conflicting German rulings on the slogan.