Germany’s second biggest city saw a demonstration of more than 1,000 marchers calling for an end to Islamophobia on Saturday. However, during the rally, the organiser called for a “righteous caliphate” to counteract the misrepresentation of Muslims in Germany, while extremist placards were in clear view.
Chants of “Allahu akbar”, translated as ‘God is great’, rang out as protesters walked through the streets of Hamburg.
A man could be seen holding a sign which read: “Caliphate is the solution”. Another sign said: “Muslims won’t be silenced”.
Despite the extreme messaging the event passed off peacefully, but German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser demanded that the police act swiftly if crimes are committed.
She told German outlet Tagesspiegel: “Seeing an Islamist demonstration of this kind on our streets is difficult to bear. It’s a good thing that the Hamburg police counteracted crime with a large presence.”
In separate comments given to Berlin Daily, she outlined the circumstances under which free speech rights are curbed in Germany: “No terrorism propaganda for Hamas, no hate speech directed at Jews. If crimes like this occur, there has to be immediate and forceful intervention at demonstrations”.
The group that put on the rally are thought to be close to another organisation, Muslim Interaktiv, that is formally considered extremist by German intelligence.
The leader of Muslim Interaktiv, Raheem Boateng, 26, led the crowds in chants of “Alluha akbar”.
Members of the crowd could be seen holding up black flags with white writing, which appeared similar to the flags used by ISIS. Express.co.uk has not been able to verify whether the black flags on display were indeed ISIS flags.
The display comes as England and Scotland football fans are less than 50 days from jetting to Germany to watch their respective sides in Euro2024. Express.co.uk has contacted the Foreign Office to ask whether those going to watch the football in Germany should take any precautions.
Following Hamas’s terror attack on Israel on October 7, the UK has seen its own wave of Islamist rallies.
Hizb ut-Tahrir was proscribed as a terrorist organisation on January 19, making it illegal to be a member of. Prior to being proscribed, the group had held rallies in central London, calling for Muslim armies to wage war on Israel.
There has also been calls for “jihad” on London’s streets in the wake of the October 7 attacks.
Tyler Mitchell
A demonstration of over 1,000 marchers calling for an end to Islamophobia should be a peaceful and respectful way to address the issue. However, the call for a “righteous caliphate” and the display of extremist flags only serve to fuel division and tension. It’s important to advocate for tolerance and understanding without resorting to extreme measures.
As a German citizen, I find it concerning to see calls for a “righteous caliphate” and extremist flags during a demonstration meant to address Islamophobia. While peaceful demonstrations are a form of expression, it’s essential that such events do not promote dangerous ideologies. The authorities must be vigilant in ensuring that free speech rights do not serve as a platform for hate and extremism.