Berlin Police Appraise the 1st May 2025 Assembly Favorably

Berlin, 2 May 2025 — The city of Berlin played host to a series of demonstrations and events on May Day this year, with approximately 62 gatherings taking place throughout the day.

The day began with a demonstration under the banner of "Revolutionary First of May" at Südstern, which started with an opening concert and saw around 150 participants. A bike procession with around 5,000 cyclists started at Bismarckplatz in the Grunewald district and ended at Oranienplatz in Kreuzberg via the city's motorway without notable incidents.

Around the same time, a trade union demonstration began at 11:40 AM in the Karl-Marx-Allee and ended at the Red City Hall around 12:55 PM. Around 150 people sympathetic to the pro-Palestinian cause were among the marchers in this demonstration.

As the day progressed, more participants joined the demonstrations at various locations. At Hermannplatz, around 1,600 people from Lausitzer Platz joined the demonstration without incident. The number of participants in the demonstration grew to around 10,000 over the next three hours.

However, the peaceful nature of the celebrations was marred by sporadic disturbances. A police officer was hit in the head by a thrown glass bottle and had to leave his post injured. The suspect was identified and arrested within the procession. Pyrotechnics were set off, anti-Israel slogans were clearly heard, and a plastic bottle was thrown at law enforcement.

In response, police forces from 12 German states and federal police officers were deployed to provide personnel, logistics, and police technology. Police President Dr. Barbara Slowik stated that they had just experienced a particularly peaceful May 1st, with only a few, spatially limited disturbances.

Thirteen police officers were injured during the operation, with three unable to continue their duties. After banned slogans were chanted from a pro-Palestinian block, police accompanied it from the side. Seven police officers were slightly injured during the operation, with three unable to continue their duties.

Following the events, police initiated 62 criminal investigations, including cases of property damage, bodily harm, insult, resistance against law enforcement, assault on law enforcement, rioting, attempted prison break, violation of air traffic laws (illegal drone flights), drug law violations, and use of symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.

After completing police procedures, 65 individuals were released, while five were taken into police custody for further criminal investigations. These five individuals were later released.

Police forces from other German federal states, including Brandenburg and Saxony, were deployed to Berlin to strengthen security during the May Day 2025 demonstrations. The assembly authority had issued restrictions and bans under the Berlin Assembly Freedom Act, including prohibitions on burning flags and other objects, glorifying violence, promoting certain pro-Palestinian groups, and using symbols of these organizations.

Despite these incidents, the majority of the May Day celebrations in Berlin this year were peaceful and well-attended, with demonstrators coming together under various banners to express their views and celebrate labour and solidarity.