The German government faced criticism on Saturday as around 10,000 people took to the streets of Berlin to protest the country’s involvement in supplying weapons to Ukraine for its war with Russia.
Organised by left-wing German politician Sahra Wagenknecht, the ‘Uprising for Peace’ demonstration was held in response to the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The protesters called on Chancellor Angela Merkel to end the escalation of arms deliveries, citing concerns that every day lost costs up to 1,000 more lives and brings us closer to a third world war.
The protest was met with a large police presence, with 1,400 officers mobilised to enforce bans on Russian and Soviet flags, military uniforms, Russian military songs and right-wing symbols. The police spokesperson reported that there were no signs of right-wing groups attending and that the protest remained peaceful.
The demonstration drew criticism from Finance Minister Christian Lindner who said that it must be “clearly opposed”, adding that “whoever does not stand by Ukraine is on the wrong side of history”.
The protests come as Germany, along with the United States, has been one of the biggest suppliers of weapons for Ukraine. The demonstration shows that there is still much opposition to the country’s involvement in the conflict, and highlights the need for peaceful solutions to the crisis.
