Last Thursday, April 17, around 50 students and workers demonstrated in front of Berlin’s Humboldt University against the impending deportation of four pro-Palestine activists. The rally was organised by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and the Alice Salomon University Student Council (AStA). In the days leading up to the rally, Student Councils at Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität had also joined the call.

We document the entire rally here:

Although the rally was completely peaceful and posed no danger whatsoever, the Berlin Senate (state executive) and the Humboldt University management responded by organising a massive police presence. A dozen police cars were stationed near the rally. The main entrance to the university was closed with a chain and police and university security guarded the entrance. Police units also patrolled other entrances and the university building, checking the student IDs of people walking past, among other things.

None of the four activists—Shane O’Brien, Roberta Murray, Kasia Wlaszczyk and Cooper Longbottom—were ever convicted of a criminal offence. The deportation orders against them are based on unproven accusations and, above all, on the fact that they have expressed opposition to the genocide in Gaza. They have until April 21 to leave Germany. Otherwise, they face compulsory deportation.

In the case of Shane O’Brien, the Berlin Administrative Court stopped the immediate execution of the deportation last week until a decision has been made on an appeal against the decision in the main proceedings. However, this does not reduce the danger of deportations: the Berlin state Interior Ministry has already expressed its full determination to enforce the deportations anyway.

At the rally, Tamino Wilck, IYSSE spokesperson at Humboldt University, explained that the attack on Berlin4 was an attack on the democratic rights of all. Katja Rippert, spokesperson for IYSSE Germany, emphasised that these rights could not be defended by exerting pressure on a government that used violence against opponents of the war. Instead, students should orientate themselves towards the working class and fight for a socialist perspective.

Thomas Scripps, assistant national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in the UK and member of the IYSSE, emphasised the international dimensions of the attack on democratic rights and called for a united struggle.

After the rally, numerous participants gathered at the information table for further discussions. We call on all WSWS readers to get in touch with us to discuss the issues further and build a movement against deportation, war and capitalism.