Several thousand participated in protests around the german parliament Reichstag in Berlin on November 18th, 2020 to demonstrate against the new German Infection Protection Act that was passed on the afternoon of the same day. Far-right groups and many conspiracy ideologists participated in the demonstration. What started with dancing, singing and ignoring Covid-19 safety measures ended in heavy scuffles with police. The demonstration was officially disperesed after social distancing measures were ignored and the participants did not wear masks. Water cannons were used to wetten protestors, but not fired directly into the crowd. Bottles, pyrotechnics and garbage was thrown at police. In advance there was a mobilisation on the messenger service Telegram, calling for violent acts and a blockade of the parliament. Several far-right AfD parlamentarians participated and passed out flyers. Other leading figures of the german neo-nazi scene were present. Loads of antisemitic signs and symbols were carried by the crowd, as many compare the novelties to the Infection Protection Act with the so called "Ermächtigungsgesetz" that brought Hitler to power, as it grants massive rights to the government to intervene in the case of a public health emergency of international concern.
I put together a lengthy edit to show the variety of protesters.
Am 18. November 2020 versammelten sich mehrere tausend Menschen rund um das Reichstagsgebäude in Berlin, um gegen die Neuauflage des Infektionsschutzgesetz zu demonstrieren, das am Nachmittag desselben Tages verabschiedet wurde. An den Protesten nahmen rechtsextreme Gruppen & Einzelpersonen, sowie viele Verschwöhrungsideolog*innen teil. Was mit Tanzen, Singen und Ignorieren der Hygieneempfehlungen zu Covid-19 begann, endete in Auseinandersetzungen mit der Polizei. Die Demonstration wurde offiziell aufgelöst, nachdem Abstandsregelungen ignoriert wurden, die Teilnehmer*innen keine Masken trugen und immer weiter in Richtung Reichstagsgebäude drängten. Wasserwerfer wurden eingesetzt, um die Demonstrant*innen zu durchnässen, aber nicht direkt in die Menge geschossen. Einige waren vorbereitet auf die Konfrontation und hatten Plastikplanen, Helme und Brillen dabei. Die Polizei wurde mit Flaschen, Pyrotechnik und Müll beworfen. Im Vorfeld gab es eine Mobilisierung über den Messengerdienst Telegram, bei der zu Gewalttaten und einer Blockade des Parlaments aufgerufen wurde. Mehrere extrem rechte AfD-Parlamentarier nahmen teil und einige verteilten Flugblätter. Weitere führende Persönlichkeiten der deutschen Neonazi-Szene waren anwesend. Zahlreiche antisemitische Zeichen und Symbole wurden von der Menge getragen, denn viele vergleichen die Neuerungen des Infektionsschutzgesetzes mit dem so genannten Ermächtigungsgesetz, das Hitler an die Macht brachte, da es der Regierung massive Interventionsrechte für den Fall eines gesundheitlichen Notfalls von internationalem Belang einräumt.
Ich habe eine längere Serie zusammengestellt, um der Menge der Ereignisse gerecht zu werden.
Protesters gather at 9 AM in front of Brandenburger Tor.
Dancing and singing.
Police arrest a man pretending to hold a spontaneous service in the crowd.
A woman shouts at a camera team holding interviews wearing a sign "Pandemic of Lies".
A man climbs Soviet Memorial at Strasse des 17. Juni with a plastic gun for a photo.
Hansjörg Müller, AfD palamentarian incites the crowd, comparing the novelty of the German Infection Protection Act to 1933.
Man waving a Saxonian flag.
Man wearing bullet proof vest, merchandise of rapcrew "187 Straßenbande".
A man holds a sign egalizing 1933 to 2020.
Man with aluminium spicked helmet.
Protesters pushing to the Reichstag discuss with police.
AfD parlamentarians exit the Reichstag to pass out flyers.
Protesters sit down as police announce to clear the crowd. One wears a sign demanding new Nürnberg trials 2021.
a man waves a german flag from a parlamentarian building inciting crowd.
Police use pepperspray against first rows that tried to open police barriers.
Pepperspray is washed out.
Police push into the crowd.
A sign above the crowd states "Peace-treaty now!"
Reflection of crowd in front-window of water-cannon.
"We are the second wave."
Smoke grenades are thrown at police.
Police use water-cannons and pepperspray
Far-right Insignia and clothing can be spotted accross the crowd.
Police rip away tarp that protesters brought to protect them from water-cannons.
Arrest of a man that resists heavily.
An elderly woman holds up a rosary as water-cannons return from refueling.
Far-right groups scuffle with police.
AfD parlamentarian Lars Günther, MdL from Brandenburg, holds up a banner stating "Common sense instead of mass panic!"
Andreas Kalbitz, former AfD parlamentarian, now kicked out due to far-right vita watches the dispersion of the crowd.
A man carries a yellow David's star with the words "German" in Gothic print and shows a thumb up. Many protesters carried antisemitic signs. One returning element of the protest is to compare the situation for conspiracy theorists and Covid-19 deniers to those of Jewish people during the Third Reich.
Reza B., that believes he is Messiah shouts at police to bring him to the chancellors office, as he is the one that deserves to reign Germany.
A man carries a sign comparing Adolf Hitler and Angela Merkel.
Arrest at Brandenburg gate as crowd has slowly disperesed.
Banner stating "We are the people" lays on the floor, wet and destroyed by a water-cannon.
Captions
Protesters gather at 9 AM in front of Brandenburger Tor.
Captions
Dancing and singing.
Captions
Police arrest a man pretending to hold a spontaneous service in the crowd.
Captions
A woman shouts at a camera team holding interviews wearing a sign "Pandemic of Lies".
Captions
A man climbs Soviet Memorial at Strasse des 17. Juni with a plastic gun for a photo.
Captions
Hansjörg Müller, AfD palamentarian incites the crowd, comparing the novelty of the German Infection Protection Act to 1933.
Captions
Man waving a Saxonian flag.
Captions
Man wearing bullet proof vest, merchandise of rapcrew "187 Straßenbande".
Captions
A man holds a sign egalizing 1933 to 2020.
Captions
Man with aluminium spicked helmet.
Captions
Protesters pushing to the Reichstag discuss with police.
Captions
AfD parlamentarians exit the Reichstag to pass out flyers.
Captions
Protesters sit down as police announce to clear the crowd. One wears a sign demanding new Nürnberg trials 2021.
Captions
a man waves a german flag from a parlamentarian building inciting crowd.
Captions
Police use pepperspray against first rows that tried to open police barriers.
Captions
Pepperspray is washed out.
Captions
Police push into the crowd.
Captions
A sign above the crowd states "Peace-treaty now!"
Captions
Reflection of crowd in front-window of water-cannon.
Captions
"We are the second wave."
Captions
Smoke grenades are thrown at police.
Captions
Police use water-cannons and pepperspray
Captions
Far-right Insignia and clothing can be spotted accross the crowd.
Captions
Police rip away tarp that protesters brought to protect them from water-cannons.
Captions
Arrest of a man that resists heavily.
Captions
An elderly woman holds up a rosary as water-cannons return from refueling.
Captions
Far-right groups scuffle with police.
Captions
AfD parlamentarian Lars Günther, MdL from Brandenburg, holds up a banner stating "Common sense instead of mass panic!"
Captions
Andreas Kalbitz, former AfD parlamentarian, now kicked out due to far-right vita watches the dispersion of the crowd.
Captions
A man carries a yellow David's star with the words "German" in Gothic print and shows a thumb up. Many protesters carried antisemitic signs. One returning element of the protest is to compare the situation for conspiracy theorists and Covid-19 deniers to those of Jewish people during the Third Reich.
Captions
Reza B., that believes he is Messiah shouts at police to bring him to the chancellors office, as he is the one that deserves to reign Germany.
Captions
A man carries a sign comparing Adolf Hitler and Angela Merkel.
Captions
Arrest at Brandenburg gate as crowd has slowly disperesed.
Captions
Banner stating "We are the people" lays on the floor, wet and destroyed by a water-cannon.
Michael Trammer
Freelance photo- and videojournalist based in Germany. Work focused on social movements, breaking news, politics, far-right extremism and humanitarian crisis.