German court fines woman for Pro-Palestinian slogan

A Berlin court fined a 22-year-old woman, identified as Ava M., 600 euros ($655) for chanting "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" at a banned protest in Berlin's Neukoelln district on October 11.

The court determined that her use of the slogan, shortly after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, could be interpreted as denying Israel's right to exist and endorsing the attack.

The phrase is controversial, with some viewing it as a call for the destruction of Israel and others as a plea for equality between Palestinians and Israelis.

Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser banned the phrase in November, along with the activities of the Palestinian group Hamas in Germany.

However, the ban is legally contentious, with varying court rulings across the country regarding the permissibility of the phrase. Ava M.'s lawyer, Alexander Gorski, criticized the ruling as a "dark day for freedom of expression," stating that his client intended to express a desire for peaceful coexistence in the region.

The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in significant loss of life on both sides, and Germany's response has been influenced by its historical responsibility due to the Holocaust.