Cars burn after demo in Berlin - Chaos on May 1st!

Cars burn after demo in Berlin - Chaos on May 1st!

On May 1, 2025, left -wing demonstrations nationwide took place in Berlin and other cities, in which more than 25,000 people took part. The largest event was the "Revolutionary 1st Mai Demonstration" in Berlin, in which an estimated between 15,000 and 18,000 people took part. The situation was initially largely peaceful, but there were occasional clashes, among other things, bottles were thrown on the police, and more than 50 arrests were registered. Berlin police President Barbara Slovic Meisel described the mission as successful and drew a positive conclusion, despite the reports about injured police officers and violent incidents during the demonstrations. Pro-Palestinian speeches and anti-Semitic slogans were also heard during the event. This development was documented by the police union (GdP), which reported several injured emergency services.

In the days after the demonstration, several cars burned in Berlin, including a Porsche and another vehicle in Kienitzer Straße. According to initial investigations, arson is assumed. These events fit into a larger context of recurring outbreaks in the left -wing demonstrations, which have been increasingly documented in recent years. The Protection of the Constitution reported an increase in left -wing extremist crimes, especially in the areas of violence and arson, which has reached the highest number in 2023.

arguments and security situation

In the city of Gelsenkirchen and in Dortmund there were also disputes between the left -wing groups and the police, with trimmings being used. In Dortmund there were physical arguments between a left group and people from the AfD area. Some people were also arrested here. These incidents are related to an increased security volume during the demonstrations, since the police were deployed in Hamburg with around 1,800 forces and also showed increased presence in other cities. In the area of ​​the unions, North Rhine-Westphalia with over 300,000 participants in DGB ranges also experienced an important influx.

Left -wing extremist crimes, according to the constitutional protection report in 2023, experienced a strong increase. 4,248 offenses were registered, including 727 acts of violence. The number of crimes against the police has also increased, which indicates an increasingly aggressive climate. The increase in violent incidents and arsons is particularly alarming, which was also visible in the current events on May 1st.

demonstrations in comparison

• Berlin: 15,000 to 18,000 participants in the "Revolutionary 1st May Demo"
• Hamburg: around 10,000 participants, ten thousand at various events
• Dortmund: Physical arguments with AfD opponents
• Gelsenkirchen: police operation with arrested activists
• Gera: Neo-Nazi march with counter-protests

The events on May 1, 2025 in Berlin and other cities throw a light on the tensions between different political groups and the challenges that the police face when it comes to maintaining public order. While the trade union and social movements generally demonstrate peacefully, many left -wing extremist groups seem to be violent. This is a trend that is also underlined in the growth of the violent left movements and the crimes recorded. For the coming months, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what measures are taken to counter the escalation.