Germany tightens grip on already banned Hamas terror group; raises free speech fears in country

Berlin [Germany], January 28 : Following the Hamas terror group attack on Israel, European authorities have been tightening the grip on the militants, with high profile raids, financial curbs and a crackdown on its online activities, as reported by CNN.
In the capital Berlin, pro-Palestinian marches have been limited and schools have been granted the power to impose bans on Palestinian flags and keffiyeh scarves.
However, no other country has gone this further in targeting an already-banned group and its supporters than Germany, according to CNN.
Using the pro-Palestinian slogan "From the river to the sea" is now a criminal offense in Germany. The chant, used frequently at demonstrations, demands equal rights and the independence of Palestinians, although in some cases it is intended to call for the abolishment of Israel.
Moreover, German politicians have repeatedly said that Israel's security is Germany's "reason of state."
This term is a reference to Germany's special relationship with Israel due to its Nazi past, which saw the German state systematically murder 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Moreover, this genocide profoundly shaped the country's policymaking, as reported by CNN.
Last year, Friedrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union, called for a signed statement confirming "Israel's right to exist" as a prerequisite for German citizenship.
However, Germans themselves are divided. In a poll carried out in January by German public broadcaster ZDF, 61 per cent of respondents did not consider Israel's military campaign in Gaza to be justified.
Adding to a complex picture, Germany has the largest Palestinian diaspora in Europe, estimated at 300,000.
Reportedly, there are around 450 Hamas members in Germany and like the rest of the European Union, Germany considers Hamas a terrorist organisation, CNN reported.
The Federal Office for Protection of the Constitution (BfV) highlighted the figure. The office in 2022 warned that 'Hamas sees Western countries such as Germany as refuge in which the organisation can concentrate on collecting donations, recruiting new supporters, and spreading its propaganda."
According to the experts, there are increased risks of attacks following the October 7 attacks, which killed around 1200 Israelis and signs that Hamas is boosting its presence in Germany and beyond.
However, at the same time, Germany is facing questions over what its crackdown on a small number of Hamas members means for legitimate expressions of Palestinian solidarity and opposition to the war in Gaza.
The wanings of the risk began in October when Molotov cocktails were thrown at a Berlin synagogue. Following which, in line with other European countries, Germany increased its security amid fears of further attacks, as reported by CNN.
Moreover, there were also reports of people celebrating the Hamas attacks on the streets of Berlin.
Later in December came the biggest flashpoint yet, as four alleged members of Hamas were arrested and accused of planning attacks against Jewish institutions in Europe. Out of which , three suspects were detained in Berlin and another in Rotterdam.
According to Germany's top prosecutor, all four are longstanding members of Hamas with close links to the leadership of its military branch, CNN reported.
Notably, Germany and the Netherlands are not the only European countries to see raids on Hamas suspects.
In January, Denmark said that seven people suspected of planning a terror attack had links to Hamas, while Israel has claimed that Hamas was planning to attack its embassy in Sweden. Later, when approached for comment, Sweden's foreign ministry declined to comment on specific missions.
In November last year, Germany announced a complete ban on the activities of Hamas and ordered the disbanding of a pro-Palestine group for spreading anti-Israel and anti-Semitic ideas, reported Al Jazeera.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said she implemented a formal ban on activity by or in support of Hamas, which has been designated as a "terrorist" organisation in the country.
"With Hamas, I have today completely banned the activities of a terrorist organisation whose aim is to destroy the state of Israel," Faeser said.
Reacting to the decision, a Hamas official in Lebanon said that the move showed that the country was in partnership with Israel on crimes against Palestinian people, according to Al Jazeera.
Moreover, Faeser added that she is also banning and dissolving the German branch of the Samidoun network, which she noted "supports and glorifies" groups including Hamas.