Berlin police ban Palestinian 'Nakba Day' demonstrations

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Berlin police said Thursday that they are banning five Palestine demonstrations that have been registered for the coming days.

Palestinian groups had announced that they would protest against Israel's policies on the day of expulsion, Nakba (catastrophe), especially on Saturday and Sunday.

Berlin authorities allege there is an immediate danger that, among others, there will be inflammatory, anti-Semitic chants, glorification of violence, and acts of violence.

Observed on May 15 annually, the Nakba Day marks the 1948 forced expulsion of nearly 800,000 Palestinians from their homes in historical Palestine.

Last month, a Berlin court upheld a ban on a planned pro-Palestinian demonstration in the German capital as a result of recent anti-Semitic incidents on the sidelines of an anti-Israeli protest.

Palestinian civic leaders in Berlin have repeatedly made clear they do not condone anti-Semitic slurs in their demonstrations, saying their only objective is to highlight the ongoing Israeli repression in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Germany is a staunch ally of Israel and has repeatedly been silent on Israel's continued crackdown in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.