Berlin: Culture Senator Chialo attacked with microphone stand at event

Berlin’s Senator for Culture, Joe Chialo, was harassed and insulted by a crowd at an event. He then left the premises under police protection, the Berlin police announced. The CDU politician was present as a representative of the Senate at the reopening of the Center for Art and Urbanism in Berlin-Moabit on Thursday evening and was supposed to give the opening speech.

When he began, about 40 people gathered at the lectern in front of the entrance to the building. According to police, most of them wore so-called Palestinian scarves, chanted forbidden slogans and insulted the senator.

The crowd then moved towards the steps of the building and surrounded the senator. Pyrotechnics were set off and a microphone stand that had been on the steps to the lectern was thrown in the direction of the senator. According to the police, this hit a woman standing directly in front of the senator.

Police then separated the crowd from Chialo and pushed them back. The senator left the area under police protection and remained unharmed. The crowd then dispersed and split into smaller groups. The police temporarily arrested nine people and checked them. The State Protection Police of the State Criminal Police Office is investigating on suspicion of breach of the peace, use of symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations, insult, coercion and trespassing.

Wegner condemns the attack

Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) condemned the attack on Chialo. “Violence is never a means of political conflict. We always defend freedom of speech and engage in dialogue, but those who attack people do not want dialogue at all,” he said when asked. “Obviously the situation in Berlin is becoming increasingly violent, but we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated by hate and incitement, and we will not tolerate anti-Semitism, hostility towards Israel and these massive attacks.”

Again Daily Mirror reported that posters with slogans such as “Censorship Capital” and “Oyoun Remains” were displayed at the protest, referring to the dispute over the Oyoun cultural center in Neukölln. The cultural administration had stopped funding the center following accusations of anti-Semitism in connection with an event there. The sponsor is suing.