Left Party MP expelled from German parliament for wearing Palestine t-shirt
-
Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown out of a German parliament plenary chamber on Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt with the word "Palestine" printed on it, a move deemed a political statement by the parliamentary leadership.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during the session, reminding MPs that political messages on clothing are not permitted in the chamber.
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress "in keeping with the prestige" of the institution. Enforcement of this standard is left to the discretion of the session chair.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]If she wore a Ukraine shirt (which would be based) or even an Israel shirt (which would not be based), it would have been handled differently. Hell apparently there is a history of members wearing soccer team shirts with no problems.
"The problem isn't the protests, it's what they're protesting." Macklemore
-
Okay now that I think about it that was an overreaction, but I still think such rules are completely unnecessary and ripe for misuse as a way of silencing minorities and opposition.
They wanted to have political discourse be through, you know, discourse, instead of through other means
Why though? What is gained by putting such a rule in place?
I guess it reduces the chance of political stunts disrupting the session. The Bundestag is supposed to get shit done, which is already hard enough. Write Palestine on the agenda, have actual debates and call out the hypocrisy of everyone. Propose a law like "No weapons for war criminals".
But disrupting the session (which this incident didn't, but could if done a little bit more aggressively) is in the end just an empty virtue signaling gesture that is better suited for election campaigns.
-
Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown out of a German parliament plenary chamber on Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt with the word "Palestine" printed on it, a move deemed a political statement by the parliamentary leadership.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during the session, reminding MPs that political messages on clothing are not permitted in the chamber.
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress "in keeping with the prestige" of the institution. Enforcement of this standard is left to the discretion of the session chair.
By, as a sitting elected representative of actual German voters, being expelled from the German Parliament for merely wearing a T-shirt with the word Palestine in it and nothing else, Cansin just neatly managed to prove that Germany is not a Democracy anymore.
Removing a sitting representative of voters, even if temporarily, from Parliament for any reason is already fishy as hell, removing one for merely wearing a T-shirt with the name of what Germany recognizes as a region (and most of the World recognizes as a country) is outright antidemocratic - they literally kicked out a politician from Parliament for making a political statement that others in Parliament did not like, the very antithesis of Democracy.
This is genuinely worrisome, especially given what Germany did last time they were going down this very same route of ditching Democratic Rules and Values using overtly racial motovations.
-
By, as a sitting elected representative of actual German voters, being expelled from the German Parliament for merely wearing a T-shirt with the word Palestine in it and nothing else, Cansin just neatly managed to prove that Germany is not a Democracy anymore.
Removing a sitting representative of voters, even if temporarily, from Parliament for any reason is already fishy as hell, removing one for merely wearing a T-shirt with the name of what Germany recognizes as a region (and most of the World recognizes as a country) is outright antidemocratic - they literally kicked out a politician from Parliament for making a political statement that others in Parliament did not like, the very antithesis of Democracy.
This is genuinely worrisome, especially given what Germany did last time they were going down this very same route of ditching Democratic Rules and Values using overtly racial motovations.
So you wouldnt want AfD representatives removed if they wore Ye shirts with "indian peace symbols"? This is simply enforcing the rules, theres no deep conspiracy or fascism behind it.
-
If she wore a Ukraine shirt (which would be based) or even an Israel shirt (which would not be based), it would have been handled differently. Hell apparently there is a history of members wearing soccer team shirts with no problems.
"The problem isn't the protests, it's what they're protesting." Macklemore
Why would you make that assumption? Its completely baseless and most likely untrue.
-
Thing is: No one not far right wing ever has the urge to wave a german flag her in germany outside of sport events or the esc. Because like i said there is no culture around it.
Honestly, when I pass a place that has a German flag on a flag pole in front of the house, I don't assume it is a far right person living there. I don't know where you live but maybe in certain regions, flag poles are a bit more common than in others and hence, more German flags can be seen there.
-
Why would you make that assumption? Its completely baseless and most likely untrue.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]My assumption is based on two years of German authorities and institutions cracking down on pro-Palestinian voices. Somehow, each time there is some specific rule or sub-rule that is being invoked, but somehow it always ends up being a silencing of pro-Palestinian protest, activism, speech.
Why I would assume the worst of German institutions when it comes to pro-Palestinian stances? Here is the fuck why:
- https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/germany
- https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/germany-palestine-protest/
- https://www.humanrightsresearch.org/post/crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-voices-in-germany-a-disturbing-pattern
- https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4362806-germanys-unprecedented-crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-speech/
- https://globalvoices.org/2024/04/18/inside-germanys-orwellian-crackdown-on-palestine-congress/
- https://zeteo.com/p/germany-crackdown-pro-palestine-speech-sign-holocaust-gaza
- https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/11/8/why-is-germany-supporting-israels-genocide-in-gaza
- https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/germany-palestine-activists-deportation-state-repression
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/18/hannah-arendt-prize-masha-gessen-israel-gaza-essay
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/03/germany-deporting-pro-palestine-eu-citizens-chilling-new-step
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/free-speech-is-a-facade-how-gaza-war-has-deepened-divisions-in-german-arts-world
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/11/denouncing-critics-of-israel-as-un-jews-or-antisemites-is-a-perversion-of-history
- https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-nicaragua-germany-genocide-court-91a605921b44110ae5534e6438405997
- https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/11/bpig-m11.html
I have simply lost faith in German institutions on this matter.
To return to you the question: why would I NOT assume that German institutions would find some way to ratfuck with pro-Palestinian voices? On what exactly can I build a set of good faith assumptions on German benevolence on the matter? Because I see fucking nothing.
-
Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown out of a German parliament plenary chamber on Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt with the word "Palestine" printed on it, a move deemed a political statement by the parliamentary leadership.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during the session, reminding MPs that political messages on clothing are not permitted in the chamber.
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress "in keeping with the prestige" of the institution. Enforcement of this standard is left to the discretion of the session chair.
Considering Germany's strict antisemitism laws and the fact that Palestine has repeatedly called for the extermination of all Jews, this can't really be that surprising.
-
Considering Germany's strict antisemitism laws and the fact that Palestine has repeatedly called for the extermination of all Jews, this can't really be that surprising.
Palestine has repeatedly called for the extermination of all Jews
I can make shit up too, check it out: "giraffes are purple"
My bullshit at least is not enabling genocide.
-
So you wouldnt want AfD representatives removed if they wore Ye shirts with "indian peace symbols"? This is simply enforcing the rules, theres no deep conspiracy or fascism behind it.
Oh, so now "Palestine" is the same level of offensive as a swastika?
Not to mention that a swastika is already banned in Germany, so your question is by definition pointless.
-
Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown out of a German parliament plenary chamber on Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt with the word "Palestine" printed on it, a move deemed a political statement by the parliamentary leadership.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during the session, reminding MPs that political messages on clothing are not permitted in the chamber.
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress "in keeping with the prestige" of the institution. Enforcement of this standard is left to the discretion of the session chair.
PoLiTiCaL sTaTeMeNt
I thought about spelling this onomatopoeically as it would sound with Bibi's dick in their mouth but I'm lazy
-
So you wouldnt want AfD representatives removed if they wore Ye shirts with "indian peace symbols"? This is simply enforcing the rules, theres no deep conspiracy or fascism behind it.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]Are you seriously equating a swastika to the word "Palestine"???!
Also the whole "it's the rules" justifying anti-Democratic actions is quite an old tradition in Germany that was used heavilly during a dark, dark part of German history, so one would expect extra alarm about "rules" there for things like silencing politicians in Parliament, rather than claiming "it's the rules" - just like they did in the "good old days" - to justify anti-Democratic measures.
If you are German, your entire take on the whole subject of making an equivalence between the word "Palestine" and a swastika and an "appeal to the rules" to justify silencing politicians just like in Germany's "good old days", just emphasises my point about the alarming slide towards authoritarianism and authoritarian thinking in Germany.
-
Considering Germany's strict antisemitism laws and the fact that Palestine has repeatedly called for the extermination of all Jews, this can't really be that surprising.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]Sure, but in this case that has nothing to do with that. In the past a politician was removed for wearing a t-shirts that was protesting a train station. Political statements on clothing are just not allowed in general.
-
Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown out of a German parliament plenary chamber on Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt with the word "Palestine" printed on it, a move deemed a political statement by the parliamentary leadership.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during the session, reminding MPs that political messages on clothing are not permitted in the chamber.
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress "in keeping with the prestige" of the institution. Enforcement of this standard is left to the discretion of the session chair.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress “in keeping with the prestige” of the institution.
So, there is no actual rule that she actually broke, unless we interpret the word "Palestine" to be not in keeping with the prestige of the Budestag. Are other country names or geographical regions also not in keeping with the prestige of the Bundestag? Like, when I visit can I not wear a shirt that says "Greece" on it? Or that says "Quebec" or "Antarctica"? Or is this is a special rule for country names that butthurt Germany's "staatsraison"?
-
Sure, but in this case that has nothing to do with that. In the past a politician was removed for wearing a t-shirts that was protesting a train station. Political statements on clothing are just not allowed in general.
"Palestine" is a political statement? I thought it was a geographical region. I mean "Free Palestine" yes. But just the word "Palestine" on its own?
-
"Palestine" is a political statement? I thought it was a geographical region. I mean "Free Palestine" yes. But just the word "Palestine" on its own?
wrote on last edited by [email protected]Yeah, for everyone that can put 2 and 2 together it is.
-
Palestine has repeatedly called for the extermination of all Jews
I can make shit up too, check it out: "giraffes are purple"
My bullshit at least is not enabling genocide.
-
Yeah, for everyone that can put 2 and 2 together it is.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]In the same way that protesting with a blank sheet of paper in Russia is politically dangerous and illegal.
It's only political to the extent that it exposes German hypocrisy.
-
Hamas is not Palestine and the ADL is a genocide enabling organization that harbours deep anti-Palestinian racism. Got any better arguments to support your bigoted writings?
-
In the same way that protesting with a blank sheet of paper in Russia is politically dangerous and illegal.
It's only political to the extent that it exposes German hypocrisy.
Nope, it's just the dresscode being enforced as it always has been.
