Large-scale protests erupted in Berlin, Germany on Saturday, as demonstrators condemned U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran and called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts.
Crowds gathered in central Berlin, with people from across Germany, social groups, and peace organizations taking to the streets. Waving banners and chanting slogans, protesters voiced strong opposition to recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran.
"This is clearly a war of aggression. Iran has done nothing and has never expressed any intention to attack Israel or the United States. There is no justification for war, so this is an unprovoked act of aggression. According to international law, this is a war of aggression and a violation of international law," said one protester.
"They are not playing by the rules, just as they did during the Iraq war. The United States has long violated international law, and in recent years, this has only gotten worse. The latest examples clearly show this is a blatant violation of international law," said another protester.
Energy concerns were also a major focus of the demonstration. Analysts said that with heightened tensions in the Middle East, energy market volatility has increased, and Europe's dependence on U.S. energy has become more pronounced.
"Germany is particularly affected by energy issues. We have already reduced imports of natural gas and oil from Russia as much as possible, and imports from the Middle East are no longer feasible. In reality, only the U.S. and Norway remain as suppliers. The U.S. can easily use this as leverage against Germany, for example, by saying, 'If you don't join efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, we can reduce LNG and oil exports to Germany and even all of Europe.' I am concerned this could happen," said Michael Lueders, prominent Middle East scholar.
Massive protests against US, Israel strikes on Iran erupt in Berlin
