Over 1,000 Protestors Demand Establishment Of Islamic State In Germany
Authored by Stephen Katte via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Over 1,000 peaceful protesters gathered in Hamburg, Germany, over the weekend, with the leader of the group demanding the establishment of am Islamic caliphate in the European country.
Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate during the launch event rally for the SPD European elections campaign in Hamburg, Germany, on April 27, 2024. (Morris MacMatzen/Getty Images)
A caliphate is a political-religious form of government under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of the caliph or “successor of the prophet of God,” who is considered a high-ranking leader in the Muslim world.
According to local German media reports and German authorities, the protest was organized by a young man who leads a populist extremist group, Muslim Interaktiv. In several videos of the protest posted online, a speaker addressing a crowd can be heard describing the caliphate as a “system that provides security” that has been “demonized” by politicians and media in Germany. The crowd responded with cheer, and some with chants of “Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest).”
A social media account connected to the group shared multiple photos and posts of the protest, which it says was aimed at standing against the “demonization of all Islamic life in Germany.”
The organizers claim the rally was to protest against alleged Islamophobic policies of the German government and alleged media disinformation campaigns against Muslims in Germany while reporting on the unfolding Israel-Hamas war.
“We will raise our voices together, inshallah (if God wills it),” a post on X said. “Together against Islamophobic reporting, both in recent weeks and in recent months.”
Muslim Interaktiv Linked to Designated Terrorist Group
Germany’s Federal Criminal Intelligence Service, or BKA, and Hamburg’s security services claim Muslim Interaktiv is part of Hizb ut-Tahrir (‘Party of Liberation’), a global Salafi Islamist movement with the goal of uniting the world under an Islamic caliphate and implementing Sharia law.
Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was founded in Jerusalem in 1953, has been banned from operating in Germany since 2003. It is also banned in many Muslim-majority countries and faces resistance from the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, where it advocates for the re-establishment of a caliphate through non-military means, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations.
The United Kingdom banned the group in January under its counterterrorism laws despite the group’s insistence it is a non-violent political party. Extremism analyst Ghaffar Hussain disagreed with the designation. But he warned a forum in January that, while he does not believe Hizb ut-Tahrir is a terrorist group as its ideology does not directly rally members to commit acts of violence, the ideology does spread violent and anti-Semitic rhetoric, and justifies and encourages violence and terrorism from other Islamist groups.
In his designation, UK Home Affairs Secretary James Cleverly cited risks of inciting violence and antisemitism during ceasefire protests for Gaza. The order designating them a terrorist organization makes belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir or inviting support for the group a criminal offense. Offenders can be hit with potential prison sentence time or a fine.
At the moment, there has been no suggestion that the Muslim Interaktiv’s demonstration in Germany broke the law, despite the Muslim Interaktiv group being classified by the intelligence services as extremist. In October 2023, shortly after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and killed 1,200 people, Muslim Interaktiv held a similar protest that ended in clashes with police.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser of the left-wing Social Democratic Party said during an interview with local German media that police need to act if crimes are committed during political demonstrations.
“Seeing an Islamist demonstration of this kind on our streets is difficult to bear. It’s a good thing that the Hamburg police counteracted crime with a large presence,” she said.
“The red line at which Germany’s protection of the right of assembly and freedom of speech ended had to be clear. No terrorism propaganda for Hamas, no hate speech directed at Jews. If crimes like this occur, there has to be immediate and forceful intervention at demonstrations.”
Muslim Interaktiv followers are classed as “pop-Islamists,” and the increasing reach and influence among young people have been labeled as a concern by German authorities. According to Ms. Faeser, the group is being watched.
“Other groups that raise emotions, radicalize and recruit new Islamists are also being watched by our security authorities. This included the group at the Hamburg demonstration,” she said.
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