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Hamburg Students March Against New Service Law; Police Put Crowd at 1,200

The protest follows January’s rollout of Bundeswehr questionnaires that men must complete under Germany’s constitution.

Overview

  • More than 1,000 young people marched from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof to the city hall, according to a dpa photographer.
  • Police reported a peak of about 1,200 participants, while organizers from the Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht alliance had expected 2,500.
  • Placards carried messages rejecting war and compulsory service, with students saying they do not want to be “cannon fodder.”
  • The action was the second school-led protest after a December demonstration where organizers claimed 5,000 attendees and police counted 1,700.
  • The law took effect on January 1 with suitability questionnaires sent to newly adult citizens, mandatory for men and voluntary for women, and organizers have announced further protests including March 5 events in Berlin, Potsdam, and Cottbus.