Berlin protests erupt over closure of Russian House

Hundreds of people gathered in Berlin for several simultaneous protests following the German government's decision to terminate the treaty for the Russian House cultural center. The protests, held on Friedrichstraße, featured conflicting viewpoints.

One large group, organized by the BSW party under the slogan ‘Brücken statt Mauern’ (Bridges instead of Walls), included approximately 600 participants protesting against the closure and what they termed anti-Russian policies. Other smaller demonstrations called for the closure of the center, citing Kremlin propaganda, or expressed support for democratic Russia.

Police reported that while the gatherings were mostly peaceful, a few incidents occurred. One participant was investigated for resisting law enforcement, and a separate altercation resulted in minor injuries to a woman and two police officers. The German government's decision to close the center and the Russian consulate in Bonn follows allegations of Russian involvement in a drone incident at Leipzig/Halle airport in August. In response, Moscow has announced the closure of German Goethe-Institutes in Russia.