Palestinian flag raised at Bundestag prompts calls for more security

According to Berlin police, a pro-Palestinian activist aged 22 spent more than an hour on the nearly 30-metre flagpole in front of the Reichstag building on Sunday morning. Two supporters reportedly secured him after he climbed up using a webbing sling and a climbing harness. He replaced the German flag with a Palestinian one. The pole was apparently damaged during the protest. After a provisional repair of the mechanism, the German flag was hoisted again, a Bundestag administration spokesperson said.

Police spokesman Martin Halweg said the area around the Reichstag is largely open and that the barriers only guide visitor flows. He said police do not have enough staff to post someone at the pole around the clock, and that police would review their protective measures.

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) said the Bundestag needs more protection and that she does not want to accept that such an incident is possible, adding that the state of Berlin is particularly called upon. Unionsfraktion leader Thorsten Frei (CDU) suggested reintroducing a so-called Bannmeile, a ban zone for demonstrations. Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) said on X that the act showed contempt for democracy.

In a TikTok statement, the suspected activist said he wanted to bring criticism of Germany's role in the Gaza war directly to the Bundestag. The group "Peacefully Against Genocide" is thought to have initiated the action, which was streamed live on TikTok.

All three men were detained at first. Police are investigating them on suspicion of disparaging the state and its symbols, property damage and trespassing, and a possible breach of the assembly law. State security police have taken over the investigation.