The Irish Ambassador to Germany, Maeve Collins, has officially lodged a complaint with German authorities following the assault of an Irish citizen during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Berlin. The incident, captured on social media, shows a demonstrator identified as Kitty O’Brien being struck by a police officer before being dragged away.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Ambassador Collins and other senior officials have contacted German authorities to express their serious concerns. They have also offered consular assistance to the individual involved if she requests it.
The Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign condemned the actions of the Berlin Police as “indefensible,” calling it the latest in a series of “brutal attacks on peaceful Palestine protestors.”
In response to the viral footage, Berlin Police stated they have referred the incident to their internal police watchdog to investigate for potential disproportionate force or criminal relevance. 1 According to their statement, officers were forced to use “immediate force, including selected targeted strikes,” to arrest O’Brien after she allegedly refused to comply with orders, verbally insulted, and physically resisted officers.
The police also noted that approximately 100 individuals were present at the “unauthorized gathering” and were asked to leave. Subsequently, expulsions were enforced, “sometimes by force.” In total, 96 criminal investigations were initiated for various offenses, including assault on officers and using signs of terrorist organizations. All individuals were released after their identities were established.
Irish politicians have also weighed in on the incident. Labour TD Duncan Smith has reached out to the TĆ”naiste to seek answers from his German counterpart. A spokesperson for Sinn FĆ©in stated that “highlighting the ongoing devastation and the inhumane slaughter of defenceless civilians in Palestine and Gaza is not a crime.”
