Overview
- Germany’s May Day protests Friday drew about 50,000 people in Berlin and thousands more in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Kassel as unions railed against planned social and health cuts.
- Berlin police deployed about 5,300 officers, shut access to Görlitzer Park to keep routes clear for rescue crews, and managed a slow-moving “Revolutionary 1 May” march as packed streets in Kreuzberg caused long delays.
- A festival trailer known as a Maiwagen overturned near Besigheim in Baden-Württemberg, injuring twelve people, and police said a rescue helicopter flew in as investigators worked to determine the cause.
- Investigators with the State Protection unit are probing antisemitic graffiti in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg, including explicit death threats and a swastika, as well as the marking of a Jewish NGO employee’s doorbell, while neighbors responded with vigils and chalk messages of support.
- In Frankfurt, a pro‑Palestine block disrupted parts of the DGB rally and the local union leader publicly rebuked the group for what he called a gross disturbance.