Hamburg is allowing spontaneous pro-Hamas rallies again

The Hamburg Administrative Court has lifted the ban on spontaneous rallies in the Hanseatic city in support of Hamas or its attacks on Israel. According to the responsible chamber’s assessment, the danger threshold required for a ban has not currently been exceeded for all potentially affected gatherings, a police spokesman said on Friday.

The police, as the assembly authority, accept the court’s decision and will no longer apply the general order with immediate effect.

Since October 16, the police had repeatedly issued general orders prohibiting all gatherings in support of the Palestinian terrorist organization that were not registered and not confirmed by the assembly authority. The order was last extended last Wednesday until next Sunday.

“Against the background of the Hanukkah festival, we would have liked to have resorted to the general order for a few more days to protect Jewish life in Hamburg,” said the police spokesman. The festival began on Thursday and continues until next Friday.

Regularly registered outdoor gatherings were not affected by the general orders. The registrations were examined intensively and confirmed unless there were reasons for a ban.