Frankfurt Citizens Stand Against Al-Quds Day March
Thomas Deichmann reports from Frankfurt on the stand taken against the Iranian-backed annual Al-Quds Rally.
Since 1979, Iran and worldwide organisations supporting its Mullah regime, have been celebrating Al-Quds Day every year. In 1996 a German-wide mobilisation began in Berlin, and since 2015 Frankfurt has become a second hotspot for this propaganda show with anti-Semitic content celebrating all kinds of backward Islamist ideas originating in Iran or elsewhere.
This year, on April 6th, the march was staged again, when about 600 supporters of the Iranian regime marched through Frankfurt and gathered for a rally. More than ever before the event was masquerading under a call for 'peace' and a march in 'support' of Palestinians. Their red, white, and green flags dominated the scenery, next to placards bearing the pictures of alleged 'liberators' Khomeini and Kamenei.
In recent years these gatherings have not attracted much attention in Germany. With the anti-Semitic pogroms of 7/10–which started the recent phase of the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza–this year's Al-Quds Day became more important for both sides of the political landscape. Islamists hoped to mobilise more people than in previous years for their reactionary agenda. But except for some weird identitarian German lefties, they stayed as alone as they have been in previous years.
But on the other side there was good news for Frankfurt: a widely noted counter-protest against anti-Semitism, radical Islamism and the Al-Quds-show took place in parallel to the annual rally. This event, organised by the Frankfurt-based Initiative 07. October was held at the same square in the Frankfurt city centre, barely 100 meters away from the Al-Quds celebration.
The crowds were separated by gentle German police forces. They had little to do, other than discipline those Iran supporters that did not like to see Israeli flags being waved on the more central side of the square. But in contrast to Iran, where opponents of the regime are tortured and killed, in Frankfurt they had to live with it, and swallow the freedom and democracy pill.
Initiative 07. October managed to mobilise around 250 people, some coming from various organisations, and some joining independently–citizens standing together for democracy and civilisation.
Of course the number could have been bigger, but despite this, the counter rally was an important demonstration by Frankfurt citizens that they are not prepared to leave their streets to supporters of an authoritarian regime–a regime that organises the killing of opponents, oppresses women, and mobilises globally for anti-Semitic aims.
The speeches and placards attracted many Frankfurters passing by, stopping and listening. Unconditional support was articulated for the movement Woman – Life – Freedom in solidarity with Iranian women and girls who are courageously demonstrating for their fundamental human rights inside Iran.
Many shared the hope that the fight against terrorist organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah would soon succeed, as an important step towards a peaceful future of the Middle East.
