Hundreds of people in Berlin, Germany protested against Germany’s increasing military spending
On the afternoon of December 5 , hundreds of people gathered in the government area of central Berlin, Germany, to protest against the country’s increasing military spending.
Protesters from various trade unions, social and environmental organizations formed a chain of people running through important German government institutions such as the Federal Parliament and the Federal Chancellery on the theme of “peace instead of expansion” and held peaceful demonstrations on the same day.
Although the number of pre-registered participants was 250, according to the organizers, about 500 people were present, and the Berlin police said that there were no more than 350 people.
However, according to a police spokesman, in addition to the city center, there have also sporadic protest rallies in Berlin, and the overall atmosphere is peaceful.
Hoffmann, the protest representative and president of the German Trade Union Confederation, said in an interview with the media that the demonstration was mainly organized to oppose the launch of a global arms race and NATO’s requirement for member states to spend 2% of their gross national product. He stressed that all possible efforts must be made to eliminate armed conflict, because violent methods cannot solve any problems.
It is reported that other cities in Germany held similar protests on the 5th. The background of this series of demonstrations is that the German government will adopt a draft budget for the next two years next week, which involves increasing the country’s military spending.
The latest data shows that Germany’s military expenditure in 2020 is about 1.58% of GNP, up from 1.36 percent in 2019. In accordance with the previous commitments of the German Federal Ministry of Defense, Germany plans to reach the NATO target of 2% by 2024.
