Berlin police have opened an internal investigation into the incident. This comes after a deeply concerning incident involving Kitty O’Brien, a pro-Palestinian non-binary activist, on Wednesday at a pro-Palestinian rally march in the Mitte district on Thursday. The panel concluded that O’Brien incurred permanent physical damage when a male police officer struck him twice in the face. This unthinkable attack has sparked international condemnation and alert within the Irish state.
The demonstration was organized by a number of pro-Palestinian affinity groups, such as Irish Bloc Berlin. Their intention was to draw attention on the killing of Palestinian journalists in Gaza. O’Brien was one of the protesters, who expressed their frustration via chants and aggressive statements aimed at police. Videos shared on social media captured the shocking moment O’Brien was hit by officers. The clip did show visible injuries, as O’Brien’s face was bloodied and they were forcefully dragged away.
O’Brien’s aunt, Catherine Stocker, is a local councillor for the political party the Social Democrats. She said O’Brien suffered severe injuries including a broken arm and nerve damage from the altercation. The injuries they suffered—including a traumatic brain injury—were first treated by the Berlin fire brigade on scene.
A longer video released online shows O’Brien shouting insults at the police, including accusations of being “genocide supporters” and calling out, “you’re acting like a fucking Nazi.” These statements have been referenced by watchers as representative of the increased tensions around the protest.
Following the incident, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs released a strong statement of concern. Senior officials from the Department of Transport, including Ireland’s ambassador to Germany, Maeve Collins, have met with German authorities and lobbied on the issue. The department’s participation highlights the international stakes of police behavior at protests with foreign nationals.
Zoë Lawlor, chair of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, didn’t mince words in her condemnation of footage capturing the incident. She highlighted that it doesn’t leave much room for interpretation. She reiterated that this was no joking matter, bringing attention to the violent attacks number two and number three. It exposes the German police, who wrongfully suppress Palestine activism with gross overreach. Lawlor reported that a fundraiser had been started to assist O’Brien following their injuries.
Stocker emphasized the significance of having the demonstration’s participants there. He continued, “Here you have a group of mostly young Irish people really defending international law and advocating for the people of Gaza and Palestine, even though that is pretty much illegal in Berlin at the moment.
The way this situation is unfolding has rightfully captured attention due to the episodes of physical violence. It raises more fundamental questions about people’s rights to peacefully protest. The probe by Berlin police was partly intended to allay these fears and judge the conduct at the event.
With public interest in the incident continuing to swell, many are waiting to see what happens next from local authorities and Irish’s own representatives. The conversation around freedom of expression and police tactics in protest situations is ongoing under the international media spotlight.