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Thousands of people came to Berlin to demonstrate against the reform of the Infection Protection Act. Hardly anyone here takes hygiene rules seriously, just like the corona pandemic.
Tension and uncertainty are in the air. Police officers have been erecting barriers in the Berlin government district since the early hours of the morning. They don’t even let anyone get near the Bundestag. “You can’t come through here today,” said one officer, handing two people over to keep walking. More than 2,000 police officers, also from other federal states such as Saxony-Anhalt, are on duty in the capital on Wednesday. Omens of a turbulent day.
Demonstrators have come from all over Germany to protest against the Reform of the Infection Protection Act to protest. The rallies take place in front of various stages. The night before, the Interior Ministry had banned some of the events. Time and time again there are calls from organizers and speakers on stage to adhere to hygiene concepts and wear a mask. However, very few adhere to this.
“They think they can do anything with us,” says an older man, about 65, in front of the ARD study building. You do not want to give your name, your job or your place of residence. Nobody really wants that. The man wears a mask that does not cover his nose. His head has turned bright red, he is quickly getting furious.
Legal reform, which the Bundestag is discussing at the same time, is just the beginning for the 65-year-old. “We have to do something now for our children and their future,” he says. The government wants to silence everyone in this country. He won’t allow it, that’s why he came. Read here why the claim that the law restricts fundamental rights is incorrect.
Thousands of people at the Brandenburg Gate: The “Merkel must go” posters were also seen again. (Source: t-online)
“Peace, freedom, not dictatorship” is the song that accompanies the day. Hundreds of people climb aboard again and again and raise their fists, probably to confirm the seriousness of his statement. A female police officer from the on-site communications team rolls her eyes and says, surprisingly, “I see it the same way. But it’s my job to be here.”
Almost no one wears a mask
The atmosphere at the Brandenburg Gate is still quite relaxed in the morning. The crowds that gather here in a few hours are also kept at the required distances at the beginning of the demonstration. But with time there is no more. Hardly anyone wears a mask. Why also? After all, there is no pandemic, they keep saying.
A man from Frankfurt am Main is sure that everything is an invention of the federal government for the “Great Reboot”, for the introduction of a totalitarian social order. In fact, he works as a pilot. She also doesn’t want to give her name, because the media would be dictated to the bloc by Merkel anyway what they were allowed to write. “Read the reports. What the government refers to is not true,” he is sure. The Robert Koch Institute can only estimate the annual number of deaths from influenza, and therefore has no comparative value as to how many people would actually die from the corona virus. “Not all dead people are tested,” he says.
A recurring pattern of argumentation from crown deniers: The virus is no worse than the flu. Why this is a dangerous misconception read here. Now there is also good data on the possible long-term consequences of Covid-19. Read more about it here.
Demo in Berlin: water cannons were used. (Source: t-online)
Shortly after, the situation changes. The police let the water cannons roll. A 70-year-old woman from Baden-Württemberg laughs happily at the crowd when the first one arrives. She doesn’t wear a mask. She already thinks there could be a corona pandemic. But it does not understand the restrictions adopted by the federal government to contain them. “I can die if I want to, right?”, He says and continues dancing to the sound of some drummers sitting on the ground nearby.
It is still up to each person to assess or not a risk for themselves. No one can tell you to wear a mask. Also, keep in mind that many people lose their jobs as a result of restrictions. “This is a war against humanity, what is happening here”, his voice almost cracked.
The organizer declares the demonstration finished
It is 12.30 pm when the water cannons are used for the first time between the Bundestag and the Brandenburg Gate. The organizer had previously stated that the meeting was over. This was preceded by an ultimatum from the police. However, the protesters are not interested. Hour after hour they dropped the water cannons on the crowd, drenching them. Many are prepared for this and have umbrellas, rain ponchos, and rain jackets.
The mood changes, it becomes harsher and more aggressive. A man walks through the crowd with red eyes and yells: “The police just sprayed tear gas on my face without warning.” When asked, he explains that he had tried to reduce the tension in the front row and also helped get out some bullies. “And then the second row of police arrived and one of them shot me right in the face.”
“You want a new empire”
Videos of police officers using violence against protesters circulate online. There is no classification of how the situations arose. Local police officers must hear a lot of abuse. An old woman is standing with a megaphone in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Only a barrier and a distance of about two meters separates them from the officers. “You want a new empire. Look who pays you, there you have it,” he shouts and immediately afterwards continues saying: “Traitors to the people, traitors to the people.” Other protesters join.
Police officers are behind the Brandenburg Gate: about 2,000 officers were on duty. (Source: t-online)
The policemen do not leave their posts. Even when the water from the water cannon hits them too. “There is no opinion here that is not represented,” says a police officer when a Trump flag draws attention. A protester wears an allegedly bulletproof vest, pyrotechnics are fired twice, several German flags flutter in the air. “This is war,” shouts the mob, who supposedly want to protest for freedom and peace.
Many of the meeting participants wear buttons on their clothing that say “hug” and heart-shaped balloons soar here and there in the air. Six hours have passed since the demonstration started. Now part of the street between the Bundestag and the Brandenburg Gate has been cleared. But nobody wants to give up here. There are still thousands of people close together.
“This is our last chance,” says an older protester. He feared that with the reform of the Infection Protection Act, which will be decided in the afternoon by the Bundestag and the Bundesrat with a large majority, there will no longer be freedom of assembly, freedom of the press or the right to democracy in Germany. Read here why the man is wrong.
“The truth always comes to light,” the woman calls again with her megaphone at the end, while receiving another flood from the water cannon. But the truth seems to be a flexible term to this day.
