Berlin braces for massive May Day protests with 5,000 police deployed
Berlin (dpa/bb) – As in previous years, multiple large left-wing demonstrations will march through parts of Berlin on May 1. The biggest and most confrontational event will once again be the "Revolutionary May Day" demonstration organized by left-wing and far-left groups. Scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m., the protest will start at Oranienplatz in Kreuzberg, proceed along Sonnenallee in Neukölln, and return to Südstern in Kreuzberg.
Up to 10,000 demonstrators are expected, and tensions have often run high for decades. This year's calls to participate include slogans like "Every Day is May Day—Escalation" alongside images of burning barricades, masked protesters, and police in riot gear.
While large-scale riots and street battles—common from the late 1980s through the 2000s—have not occurred in recent years, none are anticipated this time either. Police will deploy over 5,000 officers across the holiday, some reinforced from other federal states, to monitor the numerous events.
The annual cycle of rallies and protests begins even before May Day, on the Thursday evening prior. The now well-established "queer-feminist" women's march, "Take Back the Night," will draw several thousand participants through Kreuzberg. Organizers state: "It is time to channel our anger and resist racist, queerphobic, and misogynistic harassment on our streets, as well as the patriarchal society that fuels it."
On May 1 itself, the major trade unions will take to the streets in the morning under the banner "Our Jobs First, Then Your Profits." The march starts at 11:30 a.m. from Strausberger Platz, with a rally set to begin at noon in front of the Red Town Hall.
In the affluent Grunewald district, young activists will gather at Johannaplatz from 1:00 p.m. for colorful protests against capitalism, Berlin's CDU-SPD Senate, and soaring rents. A satirical "Controlled Demolitions" action is announced: "Hazard prevention for Berlin: Bomb disposal squad defuses social explosives." Some protesters will arrive by bike in the morning, heading toward Grunewald on the city's western edge.
Another major left-wing demonstration is planned during the day: a techno party in Görlitzer Park protesting its nighttime closure, in place since March. Dubbed "Free Görli – Rave Against the Fence," the event will later be passed by the large evening demonstration.
As a precaution, the Senate has decided not to close the park on Thursday or Friday evenings, citing the expected thousands of partygoers and protesters. Experience shows these gatherings last well into the night, and attempts to lock the gates could spark major conflicts.
Numerous rave parties were also planned in Treptower Park and surrounding areas, registered as demonstrations for preserving techno clubs and opposing the expansion of the nearby urban highway. Police and local authorities banned the events in the park to protect nature, though protests are permitted on the adjacent Pushkinallee.
The once-large "MyFest" street festival in Kreuzberg has long been discontinued. Residents and the district grew increasingly frustrated with tens of thousands of visitors from across Berlin and Brandenburg, along with the littering and damage they left behind.
Nevertheless, crowds are still expected to flock to eastern Kreuzberg, filling the streets lined with bars between Kottbusser Tor and Schlesisches Tor from the early afternoon. The weather forecast promises the usual warm, sunny May Day conditions.
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