Hundreds of German police raid properties of Hamas supporters in Berlin and across the country

The raids were conducted in response to a formal ban on any activity by or in support of Hamas, implemented by the German government on November 2nd. This ban also led to the dissolution of the group Samidoun, which had organized a celebration in Berlin in support of Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel.

A total of 15 properties were searched in Berlin and the states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein. The majority of these raids occurred in Berlin, with more than 300 police officers conducting searches at 11 locations. Seven of these searches were related to Hamas, and four were related to Samidoun. These searches primarily targeted the homes of supporters and the premises of a Palestinian association.

Germany has been cracking down on groups promoting antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the latest Israel-Hamas conflict. There have been efforts to combat hate speech and threats targeting Jews online, leading to police actions against individuals accused of spreading such sentiments. Additionally, Germany is vigilant about monitoring the Islamist scene to ensure that Islamists and antisemites do not feel safe within the country.

Hamas is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and other Western countries due to its history of carrying out attacks, including suicide bombings and other acts of violence, targeting both civilians and Israeli soldiers. This designation reflects a collective recognition of Hamas’ involvement in acts of terror.