A speech by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius at a public tribute marking Veterans Day was disrupted by anti-war protesters on Sunday, as the country's rearmament continues to stoke a deep-seated post-war scepticism of the military in parts of the population.
Witnesses at the event said police removed around 12 demonstrators, dressed in what looked like blood-stained T-shirts, after they interrupted the ceremony at the Reichstag building in Berlin, chanting slogans like "Never again conscription" and holding up a banner reading: "For a future without war."
Pistorius responded to the protest by saying: "One of the Bundeswehr's mottos is: We also fight so that you can be against us." His remarks were met with applause from those attending the event.
The demonstrators have so far not been linked to any political group, a police spokeswoman told dpa upon request. She said they have been ordered to leave the premises and complaints over trespassing have been filed.
Germany’s push to expand and rearm the Bundeswehr is politically sensitive because of the lasting public wariness of anything resembling militarization at home after the country’s 20th‑century experience with militarism and dictatorship.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he wants Germany to have the strongest army in the European Union and has introduced a new voluntary military service model, citing hybrid threats facing Germany such as sabotage, cyberattacks, drone flights and disinformation.
Before the protest, Pistorius said in his speech that the Bundeswehr enjoys broad support from politicians and society alike. "Those who were willing and those who are willing to defend the freedom and security of Germany with their lives deserve our recognition and our respect," he said.
The protest began shortly afterwards, as Pistorius was about to speak with a soldier decorated for bravery. Visitors to the event responded with boos.
Germany marked the contributions of its active and former soldiers with a National Veterans Day for the first time last year, which is now to be observed annually.
