On a night of “traditional” left-wing demonstrations in Berlin, a large group of Amazon delivery vans was completely destroyed. It is believed the fire may have been an act of arson, although police said the fire was “mostly benign”.
May 1st is now known worldwide as a left-wing protest, but in Germany things have changed since Walpurgisnacht, the ancient religious festival of Saint Walpurga, an 8th century Anglo-Saxon missionary. It has since become synonymous with left-wing violence. Berlin police deployed 3,100 officers to the city overnight, despite clashes and incidents in which eggs and stones were thrown. die welt Note The force said five protests across the city were “largely uneventful”.
However, the night was not completely uneventful, as 16 Amazon delivery vans were set on fire and completely destroyed in Berlin.newspaper built report Initial police investigation suggests it was an act of arson, with “witnesses claiming to have seen several masked assailants in an Amazon van.”
May 1, 2024, Berlin: Several vehicles burn down on Thyssenstrasse in the Reinickendorf district. A number of delivery vans belonging to a major mail-order company caught fire in Berlin early Wednesday morning. Photo: Jörg Carstensen/dpa (Photo Credit: Jörg Carstensen/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
On April 30, 2024 in Berlin, a house is protesting during the Walpurgis Night trans, inter, agender, non-binary, lesbian and women-only queer feminist demonstration ‘Take Back the Night’. Decorated with fascist logos. (Photo credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP) (Photo credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Demonstrators holding banners reading “No Justice on Stolen Lands” and “Queer for Palestine” in Berlin during a transgender, inter, agenda, non-binary, lesbian and women-only queer feminist demonstration. Participants “Reclaim the Night” “Walpurgis Night”, April 30, 2024. (Photo Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP) (Photo Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Such attacks on obvious symbols of high-tech Western capitalist society would be nothing new for Europe’s far left. As previously reported, in addition to attacks on Amazon itself, far-left forces often target the internet, telephone cables, railway signaling equipment, and electricity supply infrastructure.
The protests naturally continued until May Day. May Day, as mentioned above, is another ancient European holiday that the left has exploited for their own purposes, in this case “after the Marxist International Socialist Congress in Paris in 1889.” . . Days of left-wing protests and violence have gone on for so long that it is now being said that Germans are as well.tradition”.
In addition to the five protests registered overnight, 20 more took place on Wednesday, with more than 5,000 police officers deployed to the German capital, a total including other emergency services. 6,200 people are deployed, 2,400 of whom are from other cities.
Berlin, May 1, 2024: Participants in the “Revolutionary May Day Demonstration” set off fireworks. The demonstration, called by left-wing and far-left groups, will pass through Kreuzberg and Neukölln. Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa (Photo Credit: Sebastian Gollnow/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
(LR) Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx participating in a parade organized by the German Trade Union Confederation (German Trade Union, DGB) on May Day, or Labor Day, in Berlin on May 1, 2024. , demonstrators holding up photos of Vladimir Lenin. (Photo Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP) (Photo Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Demonstrators raise flags during a parade organized by the German Trade Union Confederation (Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, DGB) in Berlin on May Day, 2024, May Day, or Labor Day. (Photo Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP) (Photo Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Berlin, May 1, 2024: Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU, l) and Berlin Police Chief Barbara Slovik meet during a visit to the fire station on Wilmsstrasse in the Kreuzberg district. The visit took place on the sidelines of celebrations, demonstrations and rallies to mark Labor Day. Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa (Photo Credit: Christoph Soeder/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
it was report Ahead of the demonstrations starting today, local residents alerted Berlin police that strategically placed piles of stones and roof tiles had been found along some of the march’s planned routes. The city’s conservative mayor said he “will not tolerate” criminals throwing rocks at police officers. “When you hear that there are deposits of stones and roof tiles in this city, this is not a simple crime. This is an act that is likely to cause serious injury or worse.”
Massive protests over Gaza are expected on Wednesday night and are expected to pass through Berlin’s multicultural, left-leaning Neukölln district. according to of berliner morgenpost Police said they were chosen “to attract as many pro-Palestinian demonstrators as possible.” The paper notes that nighttime protests have traditionally led to violence.
Before the protest began, police officers read out the terms of the protest, which included: “Any statements that incite hatred, undermine human dignity, are anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, or glorify violence or terrorism. ” was not prohibited.
May 1, 2024, Berlin: A participant in the “Revolutionary May Day” demonstration holds a flag. The demonstration, called by left-wing and far-left groups, will pass through Kreuzberg and Neukölln. Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa (Photo Credit: Sebastian Gollnow/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
May 1, 2024, Berlin: Police forces accompany the colorful left-wing satirical demonstration “Razzia im Grunewald – Kapitalverbrechen aufklären”. Participants will march from Johannaplatz to Grünewald Station. Photo: Paul Zinken/dpa (Photo by Paul Zinken/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
Berlin, May 1, 2024: Participants in the “Revolutionary May Day Demonstration” set off fireworks. The demonstration, called by left-wing and far-left groups, will pass through Kreuzberg and Neukölln. Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa (Photo Credit: Sebastian Gollnow/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
