protests

Source: Geoffrey Macnab / Ben Dalton

Protests outside and inside the Gropius-Bau at the EFM

Activists calling for a ceasefire in Palestine have disrupted day four business at Berlin’s European Film Market.

A group called Palestine Direct Action unfurled banners from the first floor of the inside of the Gropius Bau venue, reading ‘Don’t shoot on stolen land’ and ‘Lights camera genocide’. The banners were locked onto the first floor railings then dropped down, as shown in the video below.

Leaflets with a mocked-up ‘evacuation notice’ were also thrown into the hall from the balconies; the notice said ‘An occupying army requires you to vacate this space with immediate effect’.

Protestors also shouted chants including ‘Free, Free Palestine’ and ‘Stop the genocide’. Dozens of people inside the Gropius-Bau came away from their meetings to observe the protests, with many joining in with the chants and applauding the protestors.

There were also protests outside the venue, with a group of around 20 protestors lying on the steps making an obstacle to those exiting the Gropius Bau, and holding a banner reading ‘Welcome to the red carpet’ in a bloodied font.

The protests both inside and outside the venue were cleared 

The incident is the latest in a politics-focused festival in Berlin, after controversy over the invitation then dis-invitation of members of the right-wing Alternative fur Deutschland political party; then a tense jury press conference with multiple questions on political topics.

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