A lot of protest, a moment of shock for Berlin’s governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) and only a hectic finale at the traditional left-wing demo – with the use of pepper spray, numerous arrests and some injured: at the numerous actions, demonstrations and street festivals on May 1st it remained mostly peaceful.
At the “Revolutionary May Day Demonstration” with around 14,000 participants according to the police in the evening through Neukölln and Kreuzberg, the atmosphere was tense, but the feared escalation of violence did not materialize at first. Occasionally bottles and pyrotechnics were thrown at police officers, the officers intervened with pepper spray and accompanied the demonstration’s autonomous block very closely.
The organizers also had pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic groups appear in the front block, which had attracted attention several times at other demonstrations in the past few weeks.
The feared clashes in the side streets of North Neukölln, where the route had been relocated due to the district’s street festivals on Sonnenallee and Hermannplatz, did not occur. Even at Kottbusser Tor, where the police had feared riots because of the planned Kotti guard, it was largely quiet.
Chief of Police Slowik: “So far we are satisfied”
The situation only briefly escalated at the end of the demonstration on Oranienplatz, when the police surrounded the autonomous block. The officers arrested numerous people.
Firecrackers and bottles were flying, there were arguments between the police and participants on the sidelines of the demonstration. Violent tourists also sought the opportunity. The emergency services used pepper spray on a massive scale. According to the police, a car and the contents of a rubble container were set on fire near Skalitzer Straße, but were extinguished.
Police chief Barbara Slowik said late in the evening that the demonstration was “largely peaceful”. “So far we are satisfied.” Shortly before midnight, the police spoke of the “most peaceful May Day in decades” – and counted 37 arrests for the time being.
In contrast to the sometimes heated atmosphere at the demonstration, the colorful events were on the sidelines: Despite the cancellation of the big street festival “Myfest” in Kreuzberg, a kind of unorganized neighborhood festival formed around Oranienstraße and Görlitzer Park in the afternoon. In the afternoon, thousands of mostly young people strolled and stood on the sidewalks and in front of the bars. In some places music systems were set up and people danced. Many pubs and mobile bars were selling beer and cocktails to take away.
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In view of the relaxed situation up to that point, Berlin’s Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger (SPD), said in the afternoon: “Everything has been very quiet so far.” The past two days had already been a challenge for the police because bans had to be enforced and demos had to be secured. But the officers always had the situation under control.
On the evening of May 1st, the number of emergency services should rise to 6,000. As every year, the Berlin police were supported by hundreds from other federal states and the federal police. Franziska Giffey was satisfied with what happened in the afternoon. She looked at the many people walking past her and said: “So far it’s a normal Sunday in Kreuzberg.”
Giffey on throwing eggs: “I’m not going to be fooled”
There was an incident at the May rally of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) at the Brandenburg Gate: Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) had to stop her speech there after an egg was thrown at her. She just missed the egg.
Giffey’s appearance at the rally was accompanied by lots of boos and loud whistles. These came from the small but vocal “class-struggle bloc,” an amalgamation of left-wing and socialist initiatives. They had previously asked the DGB Berlin-Brandenburg to unload Giffey. What the SPD politician said could hardly be understood acoustically.
While thanking police officers for their efforts over the May Day weekend, an egg flew towards the Governing Mayor, which was repelled by a security officer with an umbrella. Giffey’s speech was then cut short.
The DGB federal chairman Reiner Hoffmann had previously appealed to let the SPD politician finish speaking. In his speech, Hoffmann demanded: “Armistice now. Putin must end the war.” He opposed a “massive rearmament” in Germany. The money will be used for future investments. Hoffmann also had to interrupt his speech several times because of loud protest calls.
Katja Karger, chairwoman of the DGB Berlin-Brandenburg, said after throwing the eggs at Giffey that it was a “great honor” that Giffey had appeared at the DGB. “Criticism is wonderful. But it has to be done in a disciplined manner.” René Arnsburg, one of the organizers in the “class-struggle block,” told the Tagesspiegel that he didn’t know where the egg came from. “We have peacefully agreed on our protest.”
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Giffey himself later said: “Such actions are neither helpful nor politically valuable. They distract from what today is actually about: Solidarity with Ukraine, fair working conditions and pay, and dealing with the crises of our time together.” And she added: “Every one of us knows: May Day protests belong now about that, but not violence. I won’t let that deter me in my political work.” According to the police, around 7,500 people ran from Alexanderplatz to the DGB rally at the Brandenburg Gate in the morning.
Around half as many people took part in the fun demo “My Gruni” in the afternoon, which drove to Grunewald in a bicycle parade after a rally in front of the Red Town Hall. At around 2 p.m. the convoy started moving. Around 3.30 p.m. the police spoke of around 2900 participants, the organizers of 4000 to 5000.
Because of the large number of people, the parade was not allowed to stop at Johannaplatz, but turned in the direction of Autobahn 100, which took it to Neukölln, where the revolutionary evening demonstration started.
