AGSTAR Photojournalism

Highschool students protest against military conscription proposal

Several hundred students marched around Berlin´s Humbolthain park all the way to the Gesundbrunnen station, part of a nation-wide protest against proposed military conscription in Germany. Lots of left wing flags and signs. Even several communist party flags were flown during the march. As usual students are the conscience of the nation and are for the most part fearless. The police tried their best but it was zero tolerance for any foolishness. The march was peacefull but tense. A few rowdy kids were detained and a few elder citizens stood up for them, but the elders where more afraid of press cameras than of anything else. It still surprises me that people at a public, political, protest, on the streets of Berlin expect that you do not take their photos. Not only that. They even demand that you erase the photos. Had to explain to one of them that the cellphones, survailance cameras on lightposts and the police taking actual video of every body present was more dangerous and pressing than any journalist taking photos. The kids could care less but it was the adults who were more afraid.

Even the police gets frustrated when kids march. It´s hard to strike a balance. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Communist Part flags came out. Some cities have short memories. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Students march around Humbolthain park. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Police keep thier guard up. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

It was zero tolerance from the authorities for nonsence by the students. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Highschool students march against proposed military conscription. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Highschool students march against proposed military concription. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Although the march was against proposed military conscription, several other signs cropped up during the protest. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

A student is detained by police. Several youths where detained during the march. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Highschool students march against proposed military conscription. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Police had their own video squad during the protest. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

An adult stands up for the kids against the police after another youth was detained and taken away as highschool students march against proposed conscription. Photo/Tomas Stargardter

Germans march and protest peacfully agains the far right neo-facists AFD party.

A couple thousand germans marched and protested in front of the City Government House against the neo-facist, extreme right wing party AFD, that made siginificant adavnces in the latest local elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The event was very peaceful and lots of music from local artists. The city of Berlin is a liberal island surrounded by by a sea of more conservative east german states. Who knew, the right wing of Germany rises from the ashes of the old communist DDR. I guess some things cannot be unlearned in a single generation.