Overview

• The higher administrative court in Kassel upheld a lower court ruling allowing the United4Gaza event, and Frankfurt enforced conditions requiring speeches to preserve public peace and banning incitement and prohibited symbols.
• Police counted roughly 6,500 to about 10,000 participants, with the march proceeding largely peacefully as officers cited isolated violations of the mask ban and seized flags with punishable content.
• A large police deployment promised protection for peaceful assembly and intervention against hate, antisemitism or violence, and advised residents of significant traffic disruptions along the route during the city’s festival weekend.
• In Berlin, separate events remain under scrutiny after videos showed an officer striking a woman during an unregistered gathering; the officer was identified and proportionality is being reviewed, with 94 detentions and 96 investigations reported.
• Authorities referenced a June Berlin rally with 50 arrests and raised concerns about potential extremist influence at such protests, even as some planned gatherings in Berlin on Saturday drew limited turnout.