Neighbors at Mehringplatz, which has also served as the starting point of the first “Frauenmarsch” in February, have protests in April and Mai against the steadily occurring marches of the right-wing extremist organization “Wir für Deutschland (WfD)” across Mehringplatz. Since a few days, this series of demonstrations has been called off prematurely.
Meanwhile the residents collaborated with further organizations and political parties to now issue a call against the xenophobic “Frauenmarsch”, which has now been announced to happen right in their backyard. The call states:
The march is organized by member of the AfD Leyla Bilge. She appears to be defending women’s rights – which supposedly are challenged solely by Muslim men. What stands behind this reputed feminism is sheer racism. We oppose and fight this cynical instrumentalization of women’s rights!
source Facebook-event of the neighborhood initiative’s demonstration
The call is supported (as of June 2, 2018): Aufstehen gegen Rassismus, Bagdad-Forum für Kultur und Kunst, Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg und BVV-Fraktion, Café MadaMe, Die Globale e.V., Die Linke Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg und BVV Fraktion, FDP in der BVV Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, HDB – Progressive Volkseinheit der Türken in Berlin e.V., IG Metall Geschäftsstelle Berlin, Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion (KMA), Podemos, SPD Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg und BVV-Fraktion, SUPERMARKT, Impact Hub Berlin, and many more.
The nation-wide alliance Aufstehen gegen Rassismus – which has been active since 2016 and is comprised of many committed individuals, civic initiatives, political charities, trade unions, and antifascist groups calls to join the neighborhood initiative in their protest. Their call states:
This “Frauenmarsch” is not happening in the name of women* and not promoting women’s rights, but in the name of racism against Muslim people, refugees, and migrants.
source Facebook-event of Aufstehen gegen Rassismus Berlin
The Mobile Counsel against Right-wing Extremism Berlin (MBR) compiled a current assessment of the so-called “Frauenmarsch” which states:
The contents of the current call are similar to the call issued in February, where sexualized violence is attributed solely to “illegally migrated” refugees, and is thus ethnicized. This is complemented by the conspiracy theory which is popular in right-wing extremist circles of a “forced Islamization by the government” and the familiar agitation against the political course of the German government concerning immigration with a demand for “immediate protection of the German border” and the deportation of all allegedly “illegally migrated” persons.
(…)
The second “Frauenmarsch” has against been registered in the name of Bilge’s association “Leyla e.V.“, and is supposed to be “cross-party” despite Bilge’s AfD party membership. Judging from the past event, the supports of the upcoming march will likely be from the spectrum of organized right-wing extremists and xenophobic and groups against Islam and refugees. In February, the podium was contributed by the right-wing extremist group “Bürgerbündnis Havelland”. A larger group of members of the “Identitäre Bewegung” movement distributed flyers of the group. Placards by supporters contained relations to anti-Semitic conspiracy thinking.
(…)
As it is common in this spectrum, a public mobilization happens predominantly via social media. the virtual resonance of the march in June is currently (as of June 5, 2018) considerably below the numbers of February, with only 146 confirmed attendants and 358 interested users on Facebook. However, a conclusion regarding the actual participation cannot be deducted from the resonance on Facebook. Apart from carpooling, there are two busses arriving from Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Wuerttemberg respectively. (…) Nonetheless, an estimate of several hundred supporters of the upcoming “Frauenmarsch”, seems likely, according to the assessment of MBR .”
places and routes „Frauenmarsch“ on June 9, 2018 (subject to change)
- 11:00 Kiez breakfast with the neighborhood initiative at Mehringplatz 10
- 14:00 start of the program by the neighborhood initiative at Mehringplatz 10: „Nicht in unserem Namen – Frauenrechte ohne Rassismus“
- 15:00 „Frauenmarsch“ starting point: Mehringplatz/Gitschiner Straße (U-Hallesches Tor) – Route: via Mehringplatz, Friedrichstraße, Unter den Linden, via Brandenburger Tor, Ebertstraße, Scheidemannstraße, Heinrich-von-Gagern, Paul Löbe Allee, Platz vor dem Kanzleramt
Further demonstration applications in the direct environment on June 9, 2018 (subject to change)
- 11:00 – 22:00 – Slogan: „Naturschutz – Erhalt der Bäume schützen“, Route: Lindenstraße/Gitschiner Straße, Markgrafenstraße, Besselstraße, Charlottenstraße, end point: Charlottenstraße/Unter den Linden
- 11:00 – 22:00 – Slogan: „Biene Maja Demo – Gegen das Aussterben der Bienen“, Route: Wilhelmstraße/Gitschiner Straße, Wilhelmstraße, Mohrenstraße, Glinkastraße, Mauerstraße, Bethlehemkirchplatz, Mauerstraße, Glinkastraße, end point: Glinkastraße/Unter den Linden
These two demonstrations are not advertised to our knowledge.
All information subject to change, current updates via twitter, hashtag: #b0906