Children as young as seven years old 'arrested' by German police at pro-Palestine demos

Berlin police is arresting children at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, in what activists say is a shocking escalation of already widespread police violence against pro-Palestinian voices.

The most recent confirmed arrest of children involved the early June detention of a 7-year-old boy for allegedly hitting an officer’s helmet with his flag. In a witness statement shown to The New Arab (TNA), the boy's father said he had been carrying his son on his shoulders at a march when they suddenly found themselves surrounded by officers who lashed out at the crowd and then took the pair away to a police van.

The police confirmed via email that a 7-year-old was arrested on suspicion of "assaulting" a police officer at the same protest in Berlin. Police told TNA that six children under the age of 16 were detained on June 8.  

In a video posted on social media, the child can be seen screaming in a state of extreme distress while he and his father are surrounded and grabbed by 11 officers in riot gear.

The father says the child now experiences anxiety and needs psychological treatment because of the incident.

In another incident on the same day, a 13-year-old was handcuffed and dragged away by officers using a controversial "pain grip" after making a rude hand gesture to a police officer. Berlin police have confirmed that a 13-year-old was detained "on suspicion of insult," which is a criminal offence under German law.

A few weeks earlier, on May 29, an incident was reported where two adolescents were punched in the face several times by police officers at a house entrance in Sonnenallee street in Berlin. This incident of police violence was condemned by Amnesty International Germany, and urged an investigation into allegations of unlawful police actions. 

Alarming rise in sexual violence 

In an open letter addressed to Berlin's interior minister and chief of police, activists charge that this is one of several incidents of police violence against children. “Numerous cases prove that the police do not safeguard and ensure the vital protection of minors by forcibly taking children and young people into custody in handcuffs, sometimes without informing their parents,” their statement read. 

Activists have also claimed that women have been subject to sexual violence at the hands of the police where assaults and sexualized insults were reported as well as the violent arrest of a visibly pregnant protestor. The Berlin police press office did not respond to these allegations by the time of publication. 

The European Legal Support Center, stated in a press release on June 11, that police violence is simply an intimidation tactic as dozens of cases have been dropped. “Since October of last year, in a wave of escalating state repression, countless criminal charges and misdemeanours have been brought against the Palestine solidarity movement. But as we expected, dozens of cases have since been dropped.” 

“The outcome of the legal proceedings shows that the repression serves primarily to intimidate the Palestinian movement. This intimidation particularly affects people financially and/or legally at risk in residency status. This is a form of structural racist violence” the press release said. 

Mohammed, a Palestinian who took part in the June 8 protests, said that he believes the police presence increases every time. “I witnessed the arrest of a Jewish man who was detained because of a sign that said “From the river to someplace in the West. The demonstrator was brutally arrested. These attempts to criminalize people on the streets are unfathomable.” 

A video of the arrest of a man with a kippa was shared on social media. Berlin police can not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Faisal, who was also witness to the increased police violence on June 8 spoke to TNA.

“The police demand that you move, and can see at times very well that there is absolutely nowhere for you to go. You barely have enough space for your feet to keep you upright.

"If you don't follow orders, the police use force. This force ranged from shoving (enough to push most people over) to direct strikes to the face and neck, kicks to the shins and groin, and headlocks that result in you being literally dragged into custody by your neck.

Protesters assured safety, then harmed 

In the most recent demonstration in Berlin on July 13th, pro-Palestinian activist, Yasemin Acar recalls that this was the most violent she has ever seen the Berlin police. “Before the demonstration began, there were calls between the police and the organizers who registered the demo, assuring them that this time, things will go smoothly.” 

“We wondered if this was an admission that things would change. Could the state finally acknowledge its racism against Palestinians and is attempting to address it?” Acar quickly realised the answer was no, as the police suddenly became aggressive.

She states she was attacked from behind as she was documenting another arrest and that the officers surrounded her: “one pushed me so hard that I fell, hitting my head on the asphalt. My arm, head, and neck were injured, and an ambulance had to take me to the hospital. Many others were also hospitalized, and one person even had their arm broken. We are counting more than 50 arrests.” 

“I feel like this was planned," Acar said.

"They provoked demonstrators, arrested people, and cancelled the protest without justification...They needed to create chaos to rationalize their brutal actions.”

Hebh Jamal is a Palestinian American journalist based in Germany.