Corona demo in Berlin: Attila Hildmann arrested - demonstrators storm the Reichstag

In Berlin, the police canceled the controversial corona demonstration on Saturday. Many had not followed the guidelines. But: Not all participants leave the field.

• For Saturday (August 29th), the organization “lateral thinking” has registered a demonstration against the corona restrictions in Berlin .
• The ban on the meeting was overturned by the court, and a complaint by the police did not change that.
• The fear that violent right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists will mix with the protesters has in part been borne out. But another reason caused the event to be canceled .

Update from August 29, 7.45 p.m .: Demonstrators against the state's corona policy broke a cordon at the Reichstag building in Berlin on Saturday evening . A dpa reporter on site reported that they had stormed up the stairs . Police officers pushed people back using pepper spray . There were scuffles. There had previously been a rally at the Reichstag building.

The Reichstag is stormed pic.twitter.com/2viU4jdx0I

Update from August 29, 6:17 p.m .: The vegan chef Attila Hildmann was taken away by the police after the corona demos in Berlin , confirmed by the Berlin Senator for the Interior, Andreas Geisel (SPD) .

The police take vegan chef Attila Hildmann into custody during a demonstration against the corona measures.

© Kay Nietfeld / dpa

On a stage in front of the Reichstag , Hildmann, who is considered to be the propagator of conspiracy theories , spoke. In the area of ​​the Reichstagswiese , parts of the barrier had been overturned, tweeted the police. According to information from the picture , Hildmann tried to overcome the barrier for a rally that was not registered.

According to police spokesman Thilo Cablitz, around 2000 people gathered in front of the Russian embassy . There forces were attacked. Interior Senator Geisel spoke of clashes in which seven police officers were injured and 200 people were arrested.

The vegan chef Attila Hildmann speaks at the Corona demo on August 29 in front of the Reichstag in Berlin.

© abian Sommer / dpa

Update from August 29, 7:32 p.m .: Demonstrators against the state's corona policy broke a cordon at the Reichstag building in Berlin. They stormed up the stairs, reported a dpa reporter on site. Police officers pushed people back using pepper spray . There were scuffles. There had previously been a rally at the Reichstag building.

Update from August 29, 5:21 p.m .: For the Corona protests in Berlin , Focus Online has two reporters on site who report irritating. According to this, more and more people are currently streaming towards the Victory Column - and one of the organizers is said to have been desperate and shouted: “Go! You're welcome! Why don't you go? I do not understand that". According to the report, the demonstrators only responded with applause .

Corona demo in Berlin: Thousands gather at the Victory Column

Update from 3:55 p.m.: After the dissolution of the first demonstration in Berlin-Mitte, according to the police, tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday afternoon in protest against the Corona policy at the Victory Column and on Strasse des 17. Juni. The two-kilometer route is well filled with demonstrators, and a rally is planned for the afternoon. Occasionally there are apparently violent riots, in the form of attacks against police officers, which are responded to with arrests:

Across from the junction at Unter den Linden / Schadowstraße, a large group of people threw stones and bottles at our college. We arrested 2 people. Force was used in the form of simple physical violence and pepper spray # b2908

The Berlin police called on the participants in the corona demo not to pour in any further. On Twitter, she wrote: “We have noticed that during the demo on Straße des 17. Juni, the distances are not kept sufficiently. We are currently asking the chairman of the meeting whether he would like to begin his meeting under these circumstances and advise against further influx. "

Update from 3:08 p.m.: After the dissolution of a protest march against the federal government's corona policy in Berlin , the police went on various missions. Around 40 people put on boxing bandages on the Schiffbauerdamm, as the emergency services report. In addition, obstacles were brought onto the road in Universitätsstrasse. A construction container was also on fire in Friedrichstrasse, and there was also an arrest after a bottle was thrown. Videos can also be seen of the police removing demonstrators who stayed on the streets and did not leave voluntarily.

The Berlin police lead a man from the demonstration against the government's corona measures.

© Bernd Von Jutrczenka / dpa

Update from 2:13 p.m.: The police did not allow the planned march through the Berlin city center to start on Saturday because the minimum distances to protect against infection were not observed and the majority of the demonstrators did not wear
protective face masks . After a long wait and negotiations with the organizers, the police finally disbanded the meeting. "Unfortunately, there is no other option," the police underlined their decision. The Stuttgart initiative “lateral thinking 711” called for the protests.

Corona demo canceled in Berlin: Very broad mix of citizens

Thousands of participants called on banners for the resignation of the federal government and an end to everyday restrictions due to the corona pandemic . The posters said “Stop the Corona madness” and “End the Corona dictatorship”. Some demonstrators carried photos of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) as well as Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier (CDU) and the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) - all in prison clothes and with the words "guilty".

AfD politicians and other right-wing groups had also called for participation in the corona demo . At the Brandenburg Gate and other places, flags with an imperial eagle, T-shirts in Gothic script and other symbols of right-wing extremists could be seen. Overall, a very broad mix of citizens gathered, including young and old as well as families with children. Many sat down during the long wait. Protesters complained that they no distance * comply could because the police had blocked everything. In fact, the police didn't let anyone in to keep it from getting crowded.

"Stop the corona madness!": Participants in the demo in Berlin against the corona measures of the federal government.

© Michael Kappeler / dpa

Police cancel Corona demo in Berlin

Update from 1:18 p.m.: The police apparently have enough. The Corona demo in Berlin is about to come to an abrupt end. The reason was already becoming apparent: many participants were repeatedly noticed by disregarding the distance rules and were not dissuaded by the police. As was now announced on Twitter, the chairman of the meeting was told that the event will be canceled with immediate effect .

Corona demo in Berlin: Police have had enough - event dissolved, participants have to give way

Furthermore prompted all demonstrators to be from the scene removed . Will the call by the Berlin police be obeyed? It can be assumed that quite a few protesters will oppose this.

Our college. announce the dissolution of the meeting via loudspeaker vans along the former approach route. The wording of the announcement can be found here as a screenshot. # Berlin2908 pic.twitter.com/ozmS2mgRUs

Update from 12:41 p.m.: According to police estimates, around 18,000 people have gathered in Berlin-Mitte in protest against the Corona policy . However, there is still an influx of people on the planned demonstration, the ban on which the court had ruled the day before.

A spokeswoman for the police also said that if the distance rules due to Covid-19 * are still not observed by the participants and then no masks are worn, it would be "the last resort" not to let the march start and simply dissolve the meeting.

Disregard of the Corona distance rules: Police take action at the Berlin demo

Update from 11.49 a.m.: The protest meeting against the protective measures in the course of the corona pandemic is in full swing. However, there is a setback for the participants in the demonstrations in Berlin: The distance rules due to Sars-CoV-2 must be meticulously adhered to - which has so far been demanded in vain by the police. Now there is the receipt - as the emergency services report on their Twitter channel:

The participants in the demo, who were sponsored by Unter d. Linden via Friedrichstrasse, Alex, Leipziger Pl. To the Brandenburg Gate, were asked several times in vain to keep the distance. Therefore, our head of operations now makes wearing the MNS a requirement. # B2908

Update from 10:56 a.m.: On the street Unter den Linden, over 1000 participants have already gathered in Berlin for the demo against corona restriction measures. From there the protest march through the capital to the Tiergarten and to Strasse des 17. Juni. Demonstrators shouted “Tor” and chanted “We are the people”.

Corona demo takes place in Berlin: court overturns police ban - host sends message about violence

Update from 10:08 a.m.: How are the Berlin police preparing for their large-scale operation at the demonstration against state corona requirements ? Numerous emergency vehicles were already parked in front of the Brandenburg Gate early on Saturday morning. "The night was mostly quiet," said police spokesman Thilo Calblitz. Police forces are already in use at several meeting places.

The lateral thinking initiative is planning a long demonstration and a rally on Saturday morning, for which around 22,000 people were registered . The meetings can take place according to the court ruling. The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg confirmed in the second instance early on Saturday morning that the police ban previously issued does not last. This decision is final.

Corona demo in Berlin: Organizer sends message to those who are prepared to use violence

Michael Ballweg, representative of the “lateral thinking” initiative, spoke out against any exercise of violence in advance. "Those who incite violence do not belong to us," said the organizer in a video message. He described the court ruling as a "success for basic rights", which one does not have to be approved.

Police officers stand next to police vehicles in front of the Brandenburg Gate and prepare for the protests against the state corona measures.

© Christophe Gateau / dpa

Update from Saturday, August 29, 8:34 a.m.: The controversial demonstration march and the rally against the federal government's corona policy can take place in Berlin today, Saturday. The upper administrative court of the capital confirmed in the second instance early in the morning that the ban on the Berlin police was not in effect. This decision is therefore final judgment .

The main question: will the protests remain peaceful, or are there riots and threats to human life? In previous demonstrations, the measures to avoid infections with Covid-19 * have been
disregarded by many participants. According to their own information, the Berlin police will be on site with around 3,000 emergency services. One of the main tasks: If the demonstration participants do not adhere to the Corona requirements , they will "evacuate quickly", it said in a statement.

Corona demo in Berlin: court overturns ban - huge protest expected in the capital

Update, 9:06 p.m.: With regard to the registered corona demonstration on Saturday, " Fridays for Future " called for counter-protests via Twitter. “Of course, with a distance and mask - and be careful, experience has shown that corona deniers are latently aggressive. We don't leave our city to the Nazis! ”Writes the movement's social media team.

At the moment it looks like the demos for # Berlin2908 could take place after all - see you with numerous counter-protests! With distance and mask, of course - and be careful, experience has shown that corona deniers are latently aggressive.
We don't leave our city to the Nazis!

Update, 8.45 p.m.: According to the police , the registered rally of around 1500 people at the Brandenburg Gate was peaceful, but several appeals were necessary to keep their distance. The police initially spoke of 120 participants in the early evening, but updated the statement around 8:30 p.m.

First report: Around a thousand lateral thinkers gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Friday evening . This is shown by rbb reports, a live image section and several video and photo posts on the Twitter social network . According to the Bild reporter, around 150 to 200 people have also gathered at the Russian embassy . Apparently, these are mainly conspirators and Reich citizens .

Around a thousand lateral thinkers are already at the Brandenburg Gate. Including imperial citizens and QAnon believers. Gaps are nil. The police have just announced over the loudspeaker that the meeting will be relocated to Potsdamer Platz. # b2808 pic.twitter.com/at96LUgMjQ

The gathering is a “dress rehearsal” for Saturday announced online by the organization lateral thinking711. According to the flyer, 25,000 participants are registered.

Corona demos in Berlin: Police lodge a complaint against the decision of the administrative court

Originally, the organization had registered a demonstration against the Corona * restrictions for tomorrow . The Berlin police banned the demonstration because the officials believed there was a risk that infection control rules * would not be observed. In this case , the police relied on the experience after the demonstrations on 1 August. More than 20,000 people deliberately disregarded hygiene requirements during their protests. In addition to corona deniers and radical opponents of vaccinations, many participants with clearly right-wing flags or T-shirts could be recognized in the crowd.

However, the ban on the demonstration was overturned on August 29 by the Berlin Administrative Court. The reason: the notifier provided 900 files and a hundred de-escalation teams and accordingly made “adequate precautions”. That the distance requirement was "deliberately disregarded" at the event registered for 22,500 people was not evident. The police have now lodged a complaint against the decision. The administrative court announced a final decision for this Friday evening. * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

List of rubric lists: © Kay Nietfeld / dpa