Four foreign activists are at risk of deportation from Germany following their involvement in a university sit-in protesting Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The activists, two Irish nationals, one Polish national, and one US citizen, are appealing the order to leave the country, which was issued by Berlin’s immigration authorities.
The authorities have argued that the activists pose a threat to public safety and must depart Germany by April 21, or face deportation. The group participated in a pro-Palestinian protest at Berlin’s Free University in October 2024, which escalated into a sit-in.
Criminal lawyer Alexander Gorski, representing two of the activists, stated that his clients were facing minor charges, including trespassing, insulting police officers, and resisting arrest, stemming from their involvement in multiple pro-Gaza protests. The immigration authorities, citing the university protest, decided to revoke their residency permits.
The activists’ legal team has not yet been informed about the specific charges. Berlin’s Department for Interior and Sport confirmed that the activists’ residency permits had been terminated, though details regarding their actions during the protest remain unclear.
The Free University condemned the protest, calling it a “violent attack” involving masked individuals who allegedly tried to take over a campus building, destroy equipment, and damage rooms. The university also claimed that a Hamas symbol was spray-painted on a wall. In contrast, the university’s general students’ committee criticized the police presence and the handling of the protest, accusing law enforcement of responding with excessive force.
