Nov 8, 7:01 PM
Reichstag Flag Mechanism Damaged Following Pro-Palestinian Protest
Activists lowered the German national flag in Berlin, prompting calls for increased parliamentary security.
Anti-Israeli activists damaged the hoisting mechanism of the national flag outside the Reichstag building in Berlin on Sunday, leaving the site temporarily unable to fly the official flag. Police officers temporarily detained three suspects at the scene, while the state security division of the Berlin police opened a formal criminal investigation into the incident.
According to police statements, a 22-year-old man used climbing equipment to scale the flagpole on the Platz der Republik on Sunday morning. He lowered the German flag and hoisted a Palestinian flag in its place, remaining secured at the top of the pole for approximately one hour before descending voluntarily. Emergency responders from the fire department subsequently assisted police in removing the Palestinian flag from the structure.
Two other men, aged 20 and 32, were apprehended by officers at the base of the flagpole for supporting the action. Police reported that all three suspects were German citizens without an apparent migration background. The 22-year-old stated during questioning that he had acted out of solidarity with Palestine, according to police sources.
The pro-Palestinian initiative "Peacefully Against Genocide" claimed responsibility for the act in a statement published on social media. The group has previously executed high-profile actions in the capital, including placing a banner on the Brandenburg Gate in November 2025 and launching paint attacks against the Federal Chancellery and the Foreign Office.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner called for heightened security protocols around the parliament grounds following the disruption. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the operation as “an act of absolute disrespect and deliberate provocation.”
Authorities are investigating charges including damaging public property, defamation of the state and its symbols, trespass, and violations of Berlin's assembly laws. The Flag of Unity measures 60 square meters and was first raised on the night of German reunification on October 3, 1990.
Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com
