Four Gaza protesters in Germany are set for deportations despite objections from an immigration official that none were convicted of crimes.

Berlin’s immigration authorities are moving to deport four young foreign residents on allegations related to participation in protests against Israel’s war on Gaza, an unprecedented move that raises serious concerns over civil liberties in Germany.

The deportation orders, issued under German migration law, were made amid political pressure and over internal objections from the head of the state of Berlin’s immigration agency.

The internal strife arose because three of those targeted for deportation are citizens of European Union member states who normally enjoy freedom of movement between E.U. countries. None of the four has been convicted of any crimes.

“What we’re seeing here is straight out of the far right’s playbook,” said Alexander Gorski, a lawyer representing two of the protesters. “You can see it in the U.S. and Germany, too: Political dissent is silenced by targeting the migration status of protesters.”

  • Markie84@feddit.orgEnglish
    0·
    16 days ago

    The article is borderline. Because it suggests that the people would ONLY be deported because they protested. But, as it says in the article, they SHOULD be deported because they have committed criminal offences. And criminal offences are not just murders or rapes.

    And yes, this is exactly what has been demanded for months: Foreign offenders should be deported more quickly and less ruthlessly. Especially if they come from safe countries. Here, for example, Ireland. The fact that these offences were committed in connection with protests doesn’t provide any protection, and I find it extremely sensational to even begin to compare this with what is happening in the USA.

    • IndustryStandard@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      16 days ago

      Did you read the same article?

      None of the four has been convicted of any crimes.

      Each of the four protesters faces separate allegations from the authorities, all of which are sourced from police files and tied to pro-Palestine actions in Berlin.

      The only event that tied the four cases together was the allegation that the protesters participated in the university occupation, which involved property damage, and alleged obstruction of an arrest — a so-called de-arrest aimed at blocking a fellow protesters’ detention. None of the protesters are accused of any particular acts of vandalism or the de-arrest at the university. Instead, the deportation order cites the suspicion that they took part in a coordinated group action. (The Free University told The Intercept it had no knowledge of the deportation orders.)

      All four are accused, without evidence, of supporting Hamas, a group Germany has designated as a terrorist organization.

      All four have, for the meantime, been ordered to leave Germany by April 21, 2025, or face forcible deportation.

      • Markie84@feddit.orgEnglish
        0·
        16 days ago

        Yes, i have:

        Under German migration law, authorities don’t need a criminal conviction to issue a deportation order

        The only event that tied the four cases together was the allegation that the protesters participated in the university occupation, which involved property damage, and alleged obstruction of an arrest

        Some, but not all, of the allegations would correspond to criminal charges in Germany; almost none of them have been brought before a criminal court.

        Two, for example, are accused of calling a police officer “fascist” — insulting an officer, which is a crime. Three are accused of demonstrating with groups chanting slogans like “From the river to the sea, Palestine Will be Free” — which was outlawed last year in Germany — and “free Palestine.” Authorities also claim all four shouted antisemitic or anti-Israel slogans, though none are specified.

        Two are accused of grabbing an officers’ or another protesters’ arm in an attempt to stop arrests at the train station sit-in.

        None of this sounds to me like 4 people who simply took part peacefully in a protest.