In Hamburg on Saturday, around 1,100 people – mostly men – took to the streets to demand a caliphate. But is that legal?
The images from Hamburg were reminiscent of those from November 2023. Back then, around 3,000 demonstrators marched in Essen, demanding a caliphate and railing against Israel. Now, six months later, the same demands were voiced by 1,100 demonstrators in the Elbe metropolis.
Who are the organizers?
Just as in Essen, the group "Muslim Interaktiv" (MI), founded in 2020, is behind the demonstration. German security authorities consider it to be part of the ideological milieu of the internationally active Islamist group "Hizb ut-Tharir." The group emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned in Germany since 2003.
What are the goals of "Muslim Interactive"?
In addition to calling for a caliphate, "Muslim Interaktiv" also warns of an alleged hate campaign against Muslims in Germany, according to the Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution. "MI" is reportedly very active on social media. There, representatives of the group address socially relevant topics and "instrumentalize them to portray a supposedly ongoing rejection of the entire Muslim community by politicians and society." In its report, the Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies "Muslim Interaktiv" as "confirmed extremist.".
Why was the demonstration approved then?
Demonstrations in Germany do not require a permit. They only need to be registered. They can only be banned in advance if public safety is at risk. It is virtually impossible to preemptively ban a demonstration because of potential statements.
Can the demonstration be banned because of the demand for a caliphate?
According to Clemens Arzt, Professor of Public Law at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, demands such as those raised in Hamburg are protected by freedom of expression. He explained to "Focus" magazine that it is "fundamentally" not forbidden to disapprove of the Federal Republic's order and to pursue other ideas.
What exactly is a caliphate?
A caliphate is an Islamic form of government in which the caliph combines secular and religious leadership. Sharia, Islamic law, applies in the caliphate.
What does the political establishment say about the demonstration in Hamburg?
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) called the demonstration "hard to bear." She also pointed out that security authorities were monitoring such groups. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) wrote on X: "Anyone who prefers a caliphate to the state governed by the Basic Law is free to emigrate."
Green Party leader Omid Nouripour told the news portal "t-online": "Our rule of law can and must show that it is resilient against attacks from within and without." He said it was "alarming" when extremists proclaimed a caliphate on German streets. CDU politician Jens Spahn demanded consequences: "End foreign funding of mosque communities, ban radical associations, and establish a strong rule of law."
The ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Germany, Ahmed Alattar, also condemned the demonstration: "Unbelievable, unacceptable and incomprehensible how people who have found a home in Germany are turning against Germany," he wrote on X: "But this is typical of political Islamists." (Martin Schlorke/Israelnetz)
