Berlin, August 04, 2024, The Europe Today: Several thousand people took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday, joining a demonstration and rally organized by Germany’s “Lateral Thinking” protest movement. The faction, renowned for its opposition to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, was now calling for a reassessment of government measures and accountability for those responsible. Additionally, a significant portion of the protest voiced opposition to the German government’s military rebuild initiative.
The demonstration commenced along the iconic Kurfürstendamm shopping street, progressing toward Berlin-Tiergarten, where a stage had been set for a rally themed “freedom, peace, joy,” organized by the movement’s founder, Michael Ballweg. Many participants protested against the policies of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left-led coalition government. Placards from the fringe political party The Basis, aligned with the Lateral Thinking movement, were prominent. Among the statements displayed was “Peace-ready, not war-ready,” referencing German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s remark about Germany needing to be prepared for conflict with Russia by 2029.
The Berlin police reported that the demonstration and rally remained peaceful and without incident, with no arrests made. However, there were several violations of the prohibition on displaying posters related to the magazine “Compact,” classified as right-wing extremist by Germany’s domestic intelligence service and subsequently banned. Preliminary estimates by the police indicated that around 9,000 people attended the demonstration. Berlin police deployed 500 officers to monitor the event and several planned counter-demonstrations.
Understanding the Lateral Thinking Movement
Originating in Stuttgart, the Lateral Thinking movement gained momentum across Germany during the coronavirus pandemic. Supporters consistently protested against lockdown measures and vaccine requirements intended to curb the virus’s spread. In August 2020, an estimated 20,000 people joined a demonstration in Berlin against the coronavirus measures, though organizers claimed the turnout was significantly higher.
In 2021, Germany’s domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, announced it would monitor parts of the anti-lockdown movement. Although the protests dwindled in size thereafter, incidents of violence became more frequent, raising concerns that the rallies were being co-opted by far-right and extremist groups. Protesters increasingly endorsed conspiracy theories, notably those propagated by the QAnon movement from the United States.
As the Lateral Thinking movement continues to evolve, its impact on Germany’s socio-political landscape remains a subject of significant interest and scrutiny.
