A march in support of Palestine was held in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday, where demonstrators criticized German policy on Palestine and protested the detention of one of the event’s speakers, Dr. Mahmud Abu-Odeh.

The protest took place in the Brockenhausen area of the city and was organized by the group Free Palestine FFM. Participants said the march was met with a heavy police presence from the outset, with officers repeatedly intervening and placing restrictions on the demonstration.

During the rally, speakers condemned Germany’s stance on the Palestinian issue, describing it as hypocritical and accusing the government of indirect involvement in ongoing violence. Several speakers said the Israeli authorities continue to violate ceasefires and agreements while maintaining military attacks.

Throughout the march, protesters chanted slogans calling for freedom for Palestine and emphasized the message that peace cannot be achieved without justice. Calls condemning the ongoing attacks were heard consistently during the demonstration.

Protesters also said that groups affiliated with Israeli regime and Pahlavi supporters gathered without permission and attempted to provoke tensions. Despite this, they said police focused their interventions on the legally registered pro-Palestine march rather than on the unauthorized groups, a move that demonstrators described as biased.

Despite the pressure and reported provocations, the march proceeded and concluded as planned.

Following the protest, Dr. Mahmud Abu-Odeh, who served as both a speaker and moderator, was detained by police. Authorities said the detention was related to a piece of paper and a sticker he was carrying that read: “Hêvî Hind Recep, killed by Nazis at the age of 14 – Never again for all.” Police alleged that the wording amounted to “relativizing the Holocaust.”

In response, dozens of supporters gathered outside a Frankfurt police station, demanding Abu-Odeh’s immediate release. Demonstrators chanted slogans and said the detention was unjustified.

As of the latest updates, people remain gathered outside the station, and reactions to the incident are ongoing. (ILKHA)