this post was submitted on 10 Apr 2025
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In the first week of January, I received a letter from the Berlin Immigration Office, informing me that I had lost my right of freedom of movement in Germany, due to allegations around my involvement in the pro-Palestine movement. Since I’m a Polish citizen living in Berlin, I knew that deporting an EU national from another EU country is practically impossible. I contacted a lawyer and, given the lack of substantial legal reasoning behind the order, we filed a lawsuit against it, after which I didn’t think much of it.

I later found out that three other people active in the Palestine movement in Berlin, Roberta Murray, Shane O’Brien and Cooper Longbottom, received the same letters. Murray and O’Brien are Irish nationals, Longbottom is American. We understood this as yet another intimidation tactic from the state, which has also violently suppressed protests and arrested activists, and expected a long and dreary but not at all urgent process of fighting our deportation orders.

Then, at the beginning of March, each of our lawyers received on our behalf another letter, declaring that we are to be given until 21 April to voluntarily leave the country or we will be forcibly removed. The letters cite charges arising from our involvement in protests against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. None of the charges have yet led to a court hearing, yet the deportation letters conclude that we are a threat to public order and national security.

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[–] albert180@piefed.social -4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

Well the Link conveniently leaves out that the reason for their removal proceedings wasn't just for protesting, but for participating in violently occupying a university building, while threatening the staff with axes and metal bars, and doing property damages up to 100.000€, which is a pretty heavy crime in Germany (Landesfriedensbruch)

This is not a trivial matter, but the accounts of what happened differ widely. According to an answer from the Berlin Senate to a minor question from November 2024, around 40 people are said to have stormed the building. "The squatters attempted to drag employees out of their offices. The attackers were also masked and armed with axes, saws, crowbars and clubs," it says. The LKA's descriptions in the expulsion notices read less brutal, but still threatening. They speak of 20 people who had gained access to the building, graffitied the walls and destroyed the technical equipment. They are said to have carried crowbars or “cow feet” with them. They are said to have tried to break down a door to a room in which a very frightened FU employee had barricaded himself. Axes, saws and clubs are not mentioned. Following the occupation, arrests were made. Ten suspects - including the four activists - are said to have tried to prevent this.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

https://www.lto.de/recht/hintergruende/h/abschiebung-ausweisung-palaestina-aktivisten-rechtswidrig-eugh-freizuegigkeit-berlin

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

What does "participating" entail? This particular individual, what did they do in particular? Guilt by association is either bullshit or should be used to punish every fucking Israeli citizen who has ever served in the genocidal IDF. Do you think that last bit's a bit crazy? Well, yea, that's the point, isn't it. Guilt by association is bullshit.

[–] Not_mikey@slrpnk.net 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

They have not been charged with anything related to that protest, and there is no evidence they even entered the building, much less threatened anyone.

[–] Hubi@feddit.org 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Thanks, I appreciate the context. Though the post itself was not removed, which makes it clear that the link wasn't the reason for the ban.