In this powerful interview, Berlin-based Irish activist Kitty O’Brien recounts her traumatic assault at the hands of the German police, shedding light on the growing repression faced by activists and journalists in Germany.
O’Brien describes how, during her arrest at a protest in solidarity with journalists in Palestine, she was punched twice and had her arm broken by police officers. Her testimony paints a harrowing picture of police brutality, exposing the violent tactics used to silence dissent and intimidate those standing up for human rights.
Beyond her own experience, O’Brien highlights the wider plight of journalists in Germany, with a particular focus on Palestinian journalists, who she says face censorship and harassment on a daily basis. From events being banned to media voices being silenced, she argues that Germany’s political and policing establishment is creating an atmosphere of fear, where speaking out on Palestine is met with disproportionate force.
The interview raises urgent questions about freedom of speech, press freedom, and the criminalisation of solidarity movements in Europe’s largest democracy. It also explores the international implications of suppressing voices critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, as journalists and activists continue to push back against attempts to silence them.
This is a first-hand account of state violence and censorship that cannot be ignored. Kitty O’Brien’s story is not only about her own ordeal but also about a systematic clampdown on free expression and Palestinian solidarity in Germany.
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