First discs smashed in the night - large demo planned for May 1st in Berlin: violence likely?

Created: 05/01/2022 06:33

By: Katarina Amtmann

Property was damaged during a demo in Berlin on the eve of May 1st.

© Paul Zinken/dpa +++ dpa picture radio +++

On the eve of May 1st there was a demo in Berlin with damage to property.

The interior senator expects violence during protests on Sunday.

• May 1st: The evening before there was a demo in Berlin, property was damaged.

• Sunday: A large demo is expected in Berlin - violence is likely.

• This May Day demonstrations ticker is updated regularly.

Berlin - The day before May 1st, thousands of people demonstrated and celebrated in Berlin.

According to the police, the protests were mostly quiet.

At a demonstration by feminists in Prenzlauer Berg, however, the atmosphere was heated on Saturday evening.

Paint bags flew, discs were thrown in, pyrotechnics ignited.

The police stopped the protest march several times.

According to a police spokeswoman, there were attacks on emergency services.

There have been isolated arrests, the spokeswoman said.

May 1st: Demonstrations in Berlin at the weekend

According to the spokeswoman, around 1,600 police officers were on duty in the city on Saturday.

According to Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD), there were up to 6,000 throughout the weekend - including from the federal police and other federal states.

It is expected that left-wing autonomists will erupt in violence on May 1, as has been the case in previous decades.

On Sunday there will be a whole series of demonstrations in Berlin: from the main rally of the German trade union federation on Labor Day at noon to motorbike or bicycle parades to protests against corona measures.

The police paid special attention to the demonstration by left-wing and radical left-wing groups entitled “Revolutionary May Day” on Sunday evening in Neukölln.

5,000 to 20,000 participants and possible outbreaks of violence are expected.

A total of up to 50,000 participants are expected at demonstrations and folk festivals over the weekend.

May 1: Demonstration with up to 20,000 participants in Berlin - violence likely

"Of course we know that violence can and will most likely occur," said Interior Senator Spranger to RBB.

The police are following the strategy of the outstretched hand, but "of course intervene massively if there are riots."