Violence by law enforcement at a Palestinian protest: Video footage spreads online, showing an officer employing a painful restraint on young girls.
In a recent incident during a pro-Palestine demonstration at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin on July 19, 2025, a video showing a police officer using a pain compliance technique on a 14-year-old girl has gained over 13 million views on TikTok. The video has sparked controversy, with experts and legal professionals questioning the officer's actions.
According to reports, the girl had allegedly insulted two officers and refused to identify herself. In response, the officer used a pain hold, twisting the girl's wrist, and potentially inflicting pain through a face grip. This method is considered controversial, even with adults, and can be questioned as to whether it is a legitimate purpose under the rule of law.
The Administrative Court has provided criteria for examining the proportionality of police measures against assembly participants. These criteria include the number of police officers on site, whether the person resists the coercive measure, and the "force ratio" between the police and the protesters. However, no publicly available information explains why the officer treated the girl with a pain relief posture during the demonstration.
In March, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled that the use of pain holds against an adult climate activist was unlawful. This ruling has added fuel to the debate surrounding the officer's actions in the video.
Experts, including Tobias Singelnstein and Beate Streicher, have assessed the incident and found the officer's conduct to be disproportionate. Carolin Kaufmann, a lawyer, sees no other reason for the pain hold used in the video other than to cause pain. She suggests that the police could have taken the girl's personal details on the spot without the need for a pain hold or arrest.
The police could have first asked the girl to come along, verbally threatened the use of immediate force, and only applied it if she still did not cooperate. This approach would have likely avoided the controversy surrounding the incident.
Following the incident, the Berlin Police have initiated a disciplinary procedure against the officer involved. The girl in the video is believed to be 13 years old, but witnesses confirm she had just turned 14.
The Berlin Police Press Office has confirmed that the girl had insulted two officers and had previously refused to identify herself. However, the question of whether the officer's actions were proportionate remains a topic of discussion among legal professionals and the public.
In another recording of the incident, more than ten police officers are seen running behind or in front of the officer and the girl, or standing to the side. This raises questions about the necessity of the officer's actions and the use of force during the demonstration.
The video published by LTO provides further information on the criteria used to examine the proportionality of police measures against assembly participants, as outlined by Judge Wilfried Peters. The case continues to garner attention, with many calling for transparency and accountability in the actions of the Berlin Police.
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