HUNDREDS gathered in eastern Berlin over the weekend for a conference demanding an end to German militarisation, freedom for Palestine and resistance to the government’s attacks on democratic rights.

Denied access to the large Dortmund park in which German Communist Party (DKP) weekly Unsere Zeit traditionally held its press festival, party leader Patrik Kobele said organisers determined to take the message of peace to the heart of the German capital.

But such is the climate of repression around the peace movement that he was unsurprised to be warned against public chants of “Free Palestine” or “Viva Palestina” by representatives of German left party Die Linke when hiring the venue, and told observers would be monitoring the sessions.