#propalestinian — Public Fediverse posts

#Germany seeks to #deport #protesters

Submitted by webadmin on 9 April, 2025

"The German state has issued deportation orders for three #EUCitizens and one #American who have attended #ProPalestinian protests.

"Berlin immigration authorities issued the orders on 31 March, demanding that the four individuals leave Germany within one month or else face deportation. Their orders cite a protest in October 2024 in which masked individuals caused 'significant property damage, including #graffiti', as well as resisting arrest and calling a #police officer a '#fascist'.

"Unusually, three of the four orders also invoke the German principle of #Staatsräson, (“#StateReason”). This term originates from a speech #AngelaMerkel gave to the #IsraeliKnesset in 2008, asserting that #Israeli security was fundamental to the purpose of the German state.

"Staatsräson is not an officially defined term or codified anywhere in the German constitution or by German courts. At least two of the protestors are appealing the decision, with their lawyer telling Al-Monitor that it is a 'political concept, not a legal concept, and therefore unlawful'.

"In any case, the #deportation of #activists for #protesting should be opposed.

#Khalil

"The activists’ lawyer has drawn parallels to the case of #MahmoudKhalil in the US. 'I see similarities… It is weaponization of #ImmigrationLaw as a tool to silence #PoliticalDissent'. Khalil’s case may also lead to a debate on interpretations of the US constitution’s #FirstAmendment.

"Back in February, #Berlin police broke up a protest, citing a ban on '#ArabicChanting', the playing of #ArabicMusic, or giving a speech in #Arabic. In October 2024, police raided the homes of five men, four of whom were being investigated over 'authorship of #antisemitic social media posts'.

Clapping

"And after the joint Israeli-Palestinian documentary #NoOtherLand won an Academy Award, German culture minister Claudia Roth insisted that she was only clapping for Israeli director Yuval Abraham, not Palestinian director #BaselAdra. Several politicians, including the mayor of Berlin, called for her resignation. A torrent of public criticism was aimed at #YuvalAbraham for his acceptance speech, to which he responded: 'To stand on German soil as the son of Holocaust survivors and call for a ceasefire — and to then be labelled as antisemitic is not only outrageous, it is also literally putting Jewish lives in danger.'

"Israeli politicians cited German politicians when attacking the filmmakers themselves, and only weeks later, co-director #HamdanBallal was attacked by #IsraeliSettlers in the #WestBank, and removed from an ambulance by #IDF soldiers.

"German Staatsräson is less about assuring Israel’s right to exist, and more about giving a free hand to the #repressive policies of the Israeli right."

Source:
https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2025-04-09/germany-seeks-deport-protesters

#CriminalizingDissent #ProPalestineActivists #ProPalestine
#CriminalizingProtest #AntiProtestLaws
#GermanyPol #GermanAntiProtestLaws
#Authoritarianism #Fascism #RightWing #StudentProtesters #Zionism #BibiIsAWarCriminal #Enablers

Who is next? You or I for taking pictures of protest signs? This is a very slippery slope to #Fascism!

#NYC #journalist who documented #ProPalestinian vandalism arrested on felony #HateCrime charges

“This is an extremely serious charge against a #journalist. If he did not a participant in these events, this could be a brazen violation of the right of the press to gather news.” -- attorney Robert Balin

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ
Updated 3:46 PM EDT, August 6, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — "A New York City journalist was arrested on felony hate crime charges Tuesday after filming a pro-#Palestinian protest earlier this summer in which activists hurled red paint at the homes of top leaders at the #BrooklynMuseum.

"#SamuelSeligson, an independent videographer, was not involved in the #vandalism, but is accused of traveling in a car with the #activists and entering private property with them, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the case.

"The official spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

"Leena Widdi, an attorney for Seligson, said New York Police Department officers twice raided Seligson’s Brooklyn apartment in the past week before he turned himself in early Tuesday.

"She described the arrest and use of a hate crime statute as an 'appalling' overreach by police against a journalist with a city-issued press credential. Seligson, who is Jewish, is a fixture at New York City protests who has licensed and sold footage to mainstream outlets, including Reuters and ABC News.

"'Samuel is being charged for alleged behavior that is protected by the First amendment and consistent with his job as a credentialed member of the press,' Widdi said in an email. 'What is even more concerning, however, is that this member of the press is being charged with a hate crime.'"

https://apnews.com/article/gaza-nypd-sam-seligson-brooklyn-museum-eea8ee12248d38d856fe5cabcac7a0d1

#FirstAmendment #FreeSpeech #FreePress #ACAB #FreePalestine #PressFreedom #HumanRights #Protest