Irish Citizens Claim They Were Expelled from Germany Due to Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations
Two Irish nationals residing in Berlin have received deportation orders due to their participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the German capital, according to a statement they issued.
Shane O’Brien and Roberta Murray were served deportation orders by the state of Berlin, which is responsible for immigration enforcement.
They have been instructed to exit Germany by 21 April, as stated in their announcement.
A Polish citizen and an American citizen were also given the same order.
The Berlin immigration office initially denied the deportation orders, the affected individuals reported, but that ruling was reversed after intervention from the Berlin interior department.
All those who received deportation orders have no prior criminal history, they noted.
In their statement, the four individuals asserted they were accused of “anti-Semitism” and of supporting “terrorist organizations,” specifically mentioning Hamas.
They described their deportation as a “political act” aimed at “intimidating an entire movement.”
They criticized Germany’s cancellation of one student visa, pertaining to the American citizen, and the restriction of rights for three EU citizens as “an unprecedented escalation with severe consequences.”
“By limiting our freedom of movement, Germany heightens its oppression of pro-Palestinian voices, disproportionately impacting Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab communities.”
“We strongly condemn Germany’s complicity in genocide and reject these unlawful actions.”
“Together with our legal team, we will challenge this deportation all the way to the highest courts,” the statement concluded.
Recently, German authorities have intensified actions against protesters who have held demonstrations in support of Palestine.
The phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” has been prohibited by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser as part of a crackdown on Hamas activities in Germany.
Additionally, Irish Bloc Berlin, a platform supporting Irish solidarity with Palestine based in Berlin, reported that German police instructed them to cease using the Irish language during a sit-in protest outside the Reichstag last year.
