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Berlin protests 2024: A fight for attention and resources!
Cottbus in focus: A look back at the protest culture in Berlin 2024, with diverse demonstrations and new alliances.
Berlin protests 2024: A fight for attention and resources!
A storm of outrage is brewing in Berlin: in 2024, the city recorded a remarkable mobilization trend with over 7,500 registered demonstrations. This variety of forms of protest impressively shows how citizens are taking action against current initiatives by the Berlin Senate. At a large rally at the beginning of December under the motto “Uncuttable”, almost 5,000 people, including 2,000 striking teachers and educators, campaigned against the planned cuts. Accompanied by atmospheric music and high-visibility vests, a feeling of solidarity emerged, as the reporting by rbb24 makes clear.
The protests continued in the following weeks: around 500 cultural activists met in front of the Red Town Hall to demonstrate against massive cuts in culture. Even if some successes were achieved, such as an assurance of “planning security” in the collective bargaining sector, the movement remains active. As rbb24 reported, the “Unshortenable” movement is again calling for a demo in Berlin’s Lustgarten next Sunday, as many projects, including the prison theater “aufBruch”, are still at risk.
Diversity of protests and social issues
This year also saw numerous mobilizations on other social issues. Most recently, hundreds demonstrated against a planned march by right-wing radicals in Berlin-Friedrichshain. In addition, the protests surrounding the Middle East conflict mobilized many Berliners, while other demos, such as those against arms deliveries to Ukraine, also had high numbers of participants. The climate movement is also looking for new alliances to bring its demands more into the public discourse, as Vincent August from Humboldt University explains.
The dense protest landscape in Berlin shows not only the diversity of the topics, but also the dynamics and complexity of the mobilizations. While the “Last Generation” draws attention to itself with confrontational tactics, support from broad social alliances is also promising. The ratio between different groups, such as trade unions and social movements, could be decisive for how effective the protests will be in the future in drawing attention to the pressing issues in the capital, as Birgit Raddatz's alumni page also shows.