The rally was supposed to take place at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, but the police cordoned off the passage. As a result, no more than 100 people were present at the square at the start of the rally at 3:30 p.m. (13:30 GMT), while the rest gathered on adjacent streets.
Protesters consider restrictive measures a violation of their civil and economic rights and demand having them "restored." Their banners read "Immediately stop violating civil rights!" and "Wake up! What happens with the Constitution?"
— Robert Klages (@Klagesspiegel) April 25, 2020
"I consider these measures not even a violation of constitutional rights, but their abolition. The situation with the coronavirus does not require such measures, because the basic reproduction number both before the introduction of measures and now is exactly the same - less than one," Nebel, a 37-year-old engineer who joined the rally, said.
He, therefore, believes that the restrictions should be lifted, saying that "nothing will change, and everything will be like with the flu."
Reacting to reports that the death toll in Italy and New York is now higher than during the flu season, he replied: "This is all a distorted picture created by the media, the probability of dying with the coronavirus or without it is the same."
The police reminded Berliners that gatherings of more than two people are banned. About an hour later, protesters began to disperse. The police did not use special means to disperse them but detained the most active protesters.
— Robert Klages (@Klagesspiegel) April 25, 2020
