Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Heckle Scholz at the Book Expo

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupt German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's speech at Leipzig Book Fair amid ongoing Gaza war tensions.

on Mar 21, 2024

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Heckle Scholz at the Book Expo | Frontlist

On Wednesday, pro-Palestinian demonstrators heckled and interrupted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he attempted to deliver a speech at the Leipzig Book Fair opening.

Several loud yells could be heard as Scholz began his speech at Germany's second-largest book show, following Frankfurt.

According to the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper, the protestors appeared to be pro-Palestinian campaigners, with one crying out, "It's not a humanitarian disaster, it's a genocide."

Scholz interrupted his lecture to address the demonstrators, saying, "Stop shouting, that's enough."

"The power of the word brings us all together here in Leipzig, not the power of shouting," he said to thunderous applause.

A speaker was later heard urging the audience to protest weaponry delivery to Israel.
Pro-Palestinian protests have spread throughout Germany and Europe after the Hamas bombing on October 7, which triggered the Israel-Hamas war.

The October 7 attack killed around 1,160 people in Israel, the majority of them were civilians, according to an AFP assessment of official numbers. Militants also took approximately 250 hostages, with Israel claiming that 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are assumed dead.

Israel's military has since launched a relentless attack against Hamas, killing at least 31,900 people in Gaza, the majority of them are women and children, according to the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry.

The commencement of the Gaza war has roiled Germany, where Berlin's steadfast support for Israel has sparked accusations that pro-Palestinian voices are being marginalized.
The group "Strike Germany" has called for creative professionals to boycott the country's cultural institutions, with a petition that has received hundreds of signatures, including Nobel-winning author Annie Ernaux.

At the Berlinale film festival's awards ceremony in February, some winners were accused of making anti-Semitic remarks on stage in response to Israel's military invasion.

In his introductory statement, Scholz emphasized the importance of literature in helping readers appreciate other points of view.

"With every chapter, with every new page, we can overcome differences that sometimes seem irreconcilable in everyday life," he went on to say.