Okay, so here’s the thing. It’s early January, and I’m just hanging out, right? Then, bam! Out of nowhere, this letter shows up from the Berlin Immigration Office. And guess what? Apparently, I’ve lost my right to roam free in Germany. They’re pointing fingers, probably ‘cause of my support for the pro-Palestine movement. And here’s a kicker – I’m Polish, living in Berlin. Moving an EU national from one EU country to another, super complicated. Hard to believe they can even pull it off. So yeah, got on the horn with a lawyer, rolled my eyes at how shaky their accusations were, and off we went filing a lawsuit. After that, it just kinda drifted to the back of my mind.
Then, a little birdie – more like a massive alarm bell – rings and says, “Hey, you know Roberta, Shane, and Cooper?” Yup, all involved in the Palestine movement just like me. Got hit with the same letters. Roberta’s Irish, Shane too. Cooper though? He’s American – go figure. We see this as just the latest scare tactic from a state that loves to rough up protests and nab activists. We geared up for what we thought would be a long, dull tussle over these deportations but didn’t really feel the urgency, honestly.
Fast forward – March rolls in and our lawyers get another round of letters. The plot thickens, right? We either leave by 21 April or they’re gonna give us the boot – forcibly. Wild stuff. The letters talk about our protest involvement against what’s happening in Gaza. Not one charge has even hit a court yet, but apparently, we’re threats now – public enemies. There’s no legal backing, no criminal records, but still, they throw around words like “antisemitism” and links to “terrorist organizations” – obviously hinting at Hamas and its so-called European fronts.
Gotta say, it’s not Germany’s first rodeo with making life hard through migration laws. Since October last year, they’ve been straight-up freezing asylum processes for folks from Gaza. Heard a federal court might set a new low in April 2025 – paving the way for mass deportation of Palestinian refugees. It’s like a bad soap opera.
And these drastic steps? Not exactly a right-wing pipe dream coming out of nowhere. Nah, it’s all part of a larger scheme courtesy of Germany’s liberal combo – the SPD, FDP, and the Greens – pushing for deportations, claiming to answer the growing pro-Palestinian vibe, mostly zeroing in on the Arab and Muslim crowd in Germany.
It gets juicier. November 2024 – the AfD’s Beatrix von Storch, batting for the home team, proudly grabs the spotlight in the Bundestag to laud some resolution dubbed “Never again is now” – about keeping and bolstering Jewish life in Germany, of course. Says the resolution cooks its content from her party’s menu. The whole thing rides on the IHRA definition, fingering Middle Eastern and North African migration plus the “anti-imperialist left” as antisemitism juggernauts in Germany. No new laws needed, mind you. Just stretching executive arms to clamp down on everything pro-Palestinian. So they say: scrutinize cultural funding, vet university peeps like hawks, extend discipline like never before – oh, and let’s not forget mass wielding of migration laws.
Von Storch paints a vivid “send ‘em back on a plane” picture, all smiles and farewells dripping with irony. Let’s not sugarcoat the vibe.
Our deportation – me, Roberta, Shane, Cooper – leans heavily on Staatsräson (Israel’s security being Germany’s life code, if you believe that spiel). It’s about silencing doubters, keeping a lid on protests at home and abroad. Forcing unity, you might say, or some might call it a sneaky excuse to dump any rights-based order and juice up executive power.
We took our fight public. Our awesome lawyers are battling our deportation, throwing in an interim relief paper against that April deadline. Very dramatic, I know. We’re kinda in the dark on what Germany’s verdict will be, but deep breaths – we believe our stand is right. No matter what route Germany goes, we – hopefully with a bunch of good humans out there – are ready to fight the good fight. Standing against the genocide and shouting for a free Palestine? That’s top priority, full stop. We owe it to the Palestinians, their fight for self-rule is all the motivation we need to stand in solidarity.
Scary precedents be damned, losing focus is not an option – nor do we want others shying away. With each tick of the clock, Israel’s offensive intensifies in Gaza. The four of us here in Berlin stand firm with Palestinians, backing their journey to freedom.
So, any thoughts bouncing around in your head from this whole saga? We’re all ears for responses – 300 words, give or take. Toss it our way, and who knows? It might just show up in the letters section.
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Now, shifting gears to a more slick and polished tone:
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In early January, I was taken aback by a letter from the Berlin Immigration Office. It stated that due to my pro-Palestinian activism, I was losing my freedom of movement in Germany. Being a Polish citizen in Berlin, I found the idea of deporting an EU national tough to comprehend. With legal counsel, I challenged the order given its flimsy basis, considering it more of an administrative hurdle.
Interestingly, I later discovered that fellow activists in Berlin, Roberta Murray, Shane O’Brien, both Irish, and Cooper Longbottom, an American, had received similar notices. This seemed to be another method to unsettle activists. Despite the looming process, we anticipated a slow, bureaucratic effort rather than an urgent battle.
However, come March, our lawyers received letters insisting we leave Germany by April 21 or face forcible deportation. Allegations tied to our protests against the violence in Gaza were cited, yet none had led to legal proceedings. Despite our clean criminal records, the accusations included vague claims of “antisemitism” and associating with Hamas.
Germany’s use of migration laws in this context is troubling. Since October 2023, asylum requests from Gaza have been stalled, and a crucial federal case in April 2025 could pave the way for deporting Palestinian refugees en masse.
Such actions result from a strategy by Germany’s ruling coalition – the SPD, FDP, and Greens – alongside the media, aimed at deportations, targeting mainly Arab and Muslim communities. Late 2024 saw Beatrix von Storch from AfD praise these measures, detailing a resolution to safeguard Jewish life based on an expanded interpretation of antisemitism.
Our deportation orders cite Staatsräson, linking Israel’s security to national interest, thus justifying silencing dissent within Germany’s borders. This strategy wasn’t merely reparative for historical reasons but aims to consolidate state authority.
Going public with our cases is our resistance strategy. Our legal teams have initiated lawsuits against these deportation orders and are pursuing interim relief measures by the April deadline. We are resolved to oppose these actions and hope for global support in our stance. Advocating for Palestinians in their quest for self-determination is imperative, and solidarity shouldn’t stem from fear of future repercussions on ourselves.
Despite the dangerous precedents, we’re determined to stay focused and encourage others to remain undeterred. Israel’s actions in Gaza grow ever more severe. Together, our group in Berlin unequivocally supports the Palestinian quest for freedom.
Should you have opinions about this narrative, I invite you to share your perspective. Please send us a response of up to 300 words, and it might appear in our letters to the editor.
