@heidilifeldman@mastodon.social From a German point of view, it all sounds very strange. The German Grundgesetz (constitution) was written in 1949 under US supervision. Demonstrating is a fundamental right. Demonstrations are not permited, but registered (angemeldet). Registration means that the organizer informs the state when and where a demonstration will take place and how many participants are expected. Usually, the police then appear at the demonstration site and discuss with the organizer whether the demonstration will take place on the street or on the sidewalk. In Berlin alone, 8,000 demonstrations take place every year. It is a ritual in which the police and demonstrators know and adhere to their respective roles. After violent incidents, the state may attempt to collect damages. However, this is usually rejected by the courts. For years, the Love parade with 1 Million participants was the largest demonstration in Berlin. When the state no longer wanted to accept it as a political demonstration, it moved elsewhere. Today a renewed love parade demonstration is taking place in the summer. The organizers are taking great care to broadcast political demands over loudspeakers during the demonstration to avoid fees.