A Berlin police officer is under investigation following an incident at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the German capital, where a female protester was punched in the face during a confrontation with authorities.
Footage from the rally, which circulated widely on social media, shows tense exchanges between protesters and police. In one video, an officer is seen striking a woman in the nose, causing her to bleed. The protester was later identified as Kitty O’Brien, an Irish national who traveled to Berlin to participate in the demonstration in support of Palestinians.
O’Brien is heard in the video shouting at the officer, accusing him of behaving "like a Nazi" and supporting "genocide."
The Berlin police confirmed that the officer involved has been identified and that an internal investigation is underway. A police spokesperson stated, “We are examining whether the officer acted proportionately. This is part of a criminal investigation on suspicion of bodily harm while in office.”
The incident has drawn international attention, prompting Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs to express its concern to German authorities. “We have conveyed our concern about the incident to the German authorities,” a spokesperson said.
In response, pro-Palestinian activists staged a protest outside the German embassy in Dublin. Irish MP Catherine Stocker criticized the German government’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, stating, “What we see here is a group of young people, mainly Irish, who are advocating for international law and the protection of civilians in Gaza and Palestine — something that is effectively being criminalized in Berlin at this point.”