Hundreds rally in Stuttgart in support of 'Ulm 5' defendants
Hundreds of people demonstrated in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday in support of five pro-Palestinian activists jailed over an attack on an Israeli arms company in Ulm; police said three officers were hurt.
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Hundreds of people demonstrated in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday in solidarity with five pro-Palestinian activists held in pretrial detention over an attack on an Israeli arms company in Ulm, police said.
Police said around 600 to 700 people took part in the 'Free the Ulm 5' rally in the city centre; organisers put the number at about 1,000. The Left Party joined pro-Palestinian and anti-war groups at the demonstration, broadcaster SWR Aktuell reported.
Police said on social media that officers were attacked and that pyrotechnics were set off during the rally, and that some participants wore masks; officers used pepper spray after what they described as renewed attacks on police. Paint-filled bags were also thrown at officers, police said.
Three police officers were injured during the operation, one of them left unfit for duty, police said. Officers made arrests over what they described as several offences committed during the rally, though the exact number of arrests was not given.
The five defendants, who call themselves the 'Ulm 5', are accused of breaking into the Israeli arms company's premises in Ulm at night in September last year, destroying equipment, spray-painting the walls and causing damage running into millions of euros, according to SWR Aktuell. They remain in pretrial detention while the case proceeds.
Separately, police in Ulm arrested a 77-year-old man during a pro-Palestinian demonstration there; he was injured during the arrest, and video of the incident has since circulated online, including internationally, SWR Aktuell reported.
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What we know
- 2+ outlets · Zeit Online, Stern +1 Hundreds of people rallied in Stuttgart on Saturday in support of five activists detained over an attack on an Israeli arms company in Ulm.
- Official · police Police put attendance at 600-700; organisers said about 1,000 attended.
- Official · police Three police officers were injured during the rally, one left unfit for duty; officers used pepper spray after being attacked.
- 1 outlet · SWR Aktuell The five defendants are accused of breaking into the company's premises in September last year, causing damage worth millions of euros, and remain in pretrial detention.
- 1 outlet · SWR Aktuell Separately, a 77-year-old man was arrested and injured during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Ulm; video of that incident spread online, including internationally.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Reports of injuries beyond the three officers named by police.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Figure history
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Why it matters for Europe
The rally shows how a single break-in at an arms company has become a rallying point for pro-Palestinian activism in Germany, drawing in a political party and mobilising hundreds of people months after the original attack. It is one of several recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the region that have drawn a police response, alongside the separate arrest in Ulm. The scale of the police operation, including pepper spray, paint-filled bags thrown at officers and multiple arrests, shows how tense such gatherings have become in the months since the original break-in, as the case against the five detained activists continues to make its way through the courts.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
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Questions and answers
- Where did the rally take place?
- In Stuttgart, Germany, in solidarity with activists detained over an attack in Ulm, police said.
- Was anyone hurt?
- Police said three officers were injured, one of them left unfit for duty.
- What are the 'Ulm 5' accused of?
- Breaking into an Israeli arms company's premises in Ulm in September last year, destroying equipment and causing millions of euros in damage.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.