Munich mobilizes: Anti-racist demo under controversial circumstances!

Munich mobilizes: Anti-racist demo under controversial circumstances!

Mobilization is underway in Munich for an anti-racist demonstration that is scheduled to take place on October 31, 2025. Leading actors are antifa groups, trade unions, anti-racism initiatives and NGOs that want to show solidarity against racism. However, the involvement of the Munich branch of Palestine Spricht, or PSMUC for short, is particularly controversial. There are mixed reactions within the mobilization. While some groups in Barrio Olga Benario are happy about PSMUC's presence, other left-wing and civic-oriented voices express their concerns.

The Antifa groups and other organizations are facing a critical discussion. In a 31-page statement by the AKM, PSMUC is described as “stable comrades”. At the same time, the collaboration with PSMUC is questioned by a brochure from the Munich Information Center for Right-Wing Extremism (FIRM), which documents anti-Semitic tendencies within the group. These controversial views make the current mobilization a complicated matter, which shows how sensitive the issue is in public discourse.

Anti-Semitism and pro-Palestinian protests

The discussion about anti-Semitism has returned to YouTube in Germany since the massive protests in October following the Hamas attack in Israel. According to a report by the Federal Association of Anti-Semitism Research and Information Centers (RIAS), the number of anti-Semitic incidents increased sharply after the massacre on October 7, 2023. From that date to the end of 2024, 2,225 gatherings with anti-Semitic content were documented, a dramatic increase compared to the 1,636 gatherings before the terrorist attack.

A particularly disturbing feature of these incidents is that 89 percent of the anti-Semitic expressions are related to Israel. Calls for the destruction of Israel and support for Hamas are not uncommon. The incidents documented by RIAS show a worrying normality in dealing with anti-Semitism in Germany. It is an alarming development that is also shaping the climate at demonstrations.

The results of the study

A study by the University of Mannheim, which surveyed 3,702 participants of various age groups, sheds light on the matter. The research suggests that young, left-leaning people are strongly pro-Palestinian, but these views have little connection to traditional anti-Semitism. Young left-wing academics appear to be least influenced by anti-Semitic attitudes, which contrasts with groups where traditional anti-Semitism is prevalent, particularly those over 65 who tend to be politically right-wing.

However, the study points to what it calls a “moderate correlation” between pro-Palestinian attitudes and anti-Zionist anti-Semitism. This attitude becomes dangerous because it makes Jews collectively responsible for Israel's policies. Nevertheless, there is a large consensus in German society regarding fundamental questions of the Middle East conflict: 82 percent of those surveyed support Israel's right to exist.

In the midst of these discussions and conflicts, the mobilization for the demo in Munich is a clear response to social challenges. Even if the critical voices about the cooperation with PSMUC do not fall silent, the fight against racism remains a central concern, which should also be made clear in the coming demonstration. How it will develop remains to be seen.