The western German city of Frankfurt has banned a pro-Palestine demonstration registered for the anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel by the terrorist organisation Hamas, it said on Thursday.
Biggest mass murder
“One year ago on this day, the biggest mass murder of Jews since the Shoah took place. Registering this rally on October 7, of all days, the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack, is an extreme provocation that we deeply condemn,” said the city’s mayor Mike Josef and the head of the public order department Annette Rinn in a statement.
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The right to demonstrate is a very precious right, they said. “However, if there are fears that the demonstration will include crimes such as incitement of the people, calls for criminal acts, and anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic statements, and if, according to the recognisable circumstances, public safety is directly endangered, then we must act.”
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Decisions to ban similar demonstrations have often led to legal disputes in the past.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other militants launched a terrorist attack on Israel. The attack resulted in around 1,200 people killed and around 240 people were abducted into Gaza.
Israel response ongoing
Israel responded with a fierce and ongoing counter-attack on Gaza. The Hamas-controlled health authority in the besieged strip puts the death toll at more than 41,000 since October 7.
The figure does not distinguish between civilians and fighters. But health officials say the majority of casualties have been women and children. –dpa
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