Yasemin Acar (38) celebrates her conviction for attacks on the police as a victory – with cheering supporters. After all, she was acquitted for chanting the extermination slogan of the terrorist organization Hamas in Tiergarten district court.
The Kreuzberg woman poses for photos in the dock. She doesn’t want to be pixelated, they say. Damsel of the castle hairstyle, skin-tight shirt, kufiya (Palestinian scarf), Fatima hand chain. German. Single. Bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Used to be a project manager. Currently not working, no income. No criminal record. A sailing trip to Gaza with Greta Thunberg and other “professional activists” recently failed.
Acar first came to public attention in March 2022, when she looked after war refugees from Ukraine at the Berlin bus station and gave interviews. After the Hamas attack on Israel, her social media account changed: Acar defended the Islamists, became increasingly radicalized and most recently called Germany a “fascist state”. Since then, she has hardly ever missed a hate demonstration against Israel in Berlin and has taken part in occupations at universities.
From February 17 to July 24, 2024, Acar is said to have publicly chanted “From the river to the sea, palestine will be free” several times. The inflammatory slogan is considered a characteristic of one of the parties or associations specified in Section 86 (2) StGB: the terrorist organization Hamas, which is banned by the Ministry of the Interior. In addition, defamation, resistance, attack on police officers, attempted bodily harm (throwing an umbrella).
Yasemin Acar reads out her “confession”. Allegedly humiliated and discriminated against at school (“forced to eat pork, humiliated by 7-year-old German children”). There is talk of “structural racism” and “defamation as a Jew-hater”. She was celebrated for helping Ukraine and “criminalized” for Gaza. The German police are acting “like an occupying power”. They only say “what must not be said in this country!”
Cheers from 20 supporters in the courtroom (100 make noise in the street). The judge reads out police statements (15 volumes of files). She hands over X-ray images. These are supposed to prove her injuries at the hands of the Berlin police: “These are my ribs!”
Acar’s lawyer says the slogan accused of incitement to hatred is not a Hamas slogan, but “a historical description”.
“The slogan contains the violent will to destroy the state of Israel,” insists public prosecutor Darrell Kanngießer. Its dissemination is punishable, regardless of political views. He wants 220 daily sentences of 20 euros each as punishment.
Her lawyer demands acquittal for “circumscribing a geographical area”. Speaks of “massacres by the Israeli army”, “crimes against humanity”.
120 daily sentences of 15 euros each, i.e. 1800 euros fine for resisting and assaulting police officers, defamation, attempted bodily harm – but acquittal for the Hamas slogans! Judge Philipp Berkholz: “Most of them are not there at the demonstrations to support Hamas – I therefore do not consider this to be a criminal offense.”
Then the judge reveals: “I have the greatest respect for your commitment. You probably share some people’s feelings. You keep to what you have committed yourself to. Try not to be a source of offense in the future.”
Frenetic cheers, roaring applause. First in the courtroom, then on the street …
A judge who expresses his respect for a radical who, among other things, celebrated the Iranian missile attack on Israel by dancing, insulted German police officers countless times and sailed to Gaza with self-confessed terror supporters?
The newspaper B.Z. confronted the court with the statements. A spokeswoman confirmed that the judge had expressed his respect for Acar and referred to the “context”. Berkholz had meant Acar’s commitment to the people in Gaza, with the criminal acts she had destroyed her image.