German police have broken up a pro-Palestinian student protest which was set up early Tuesday at Berlin's Free University.
Around 150 activists of the Student Coalition Berlin group occupied the university courtyard with tents on Tuesday morning in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The activists of the Student Coalition Berlin group had said they were "occupying Freie Universität Berlin," called for the occupation of other German universities and demanded an end to "colonial oppression."
The university had announced it would swiftly put a halt to the protest and called the police, who first blocked off the area and then gradually cleared the camp in the afternoon.
On the sidelines there were a few scuffles between police officers and people from neighbouring university buildings.
Protesters shouted slogans such as "Viva, viva, Palestina!" (Long live Palestine). Police spokesman Michael Gassen said that banned slogans were also shouted out, without giving further details on the slogans used.
Certain slogans that are deemed anti-Semitic have been banned by German authorities, which have monitored pro-Palestinian demos closely since the war in Gaza began.
Preliminary proceedings were initiated against some protesters on possible charges including trespassing, resistance and suspected incitement, as well as proceedings for participation in an unauthorized assembly.
The university partially suspended teaching on Tuesday. "This form of protest is not aimed at dialogue. An occupation is not acceptable on the FU Berlin campus. We are available for academic dialogue - but not in this way," said University President Günter Ziegler.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany criticized the university management. The occupation "clearly shows the fanatical character of the groups involved," said the council's president Josef Schuster in a statement on Tuesday.
"The hatred of Israel and the anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic background of the action is obvious and is part of these people's DNA," said Schuster.
Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the occupation. "We must not look the other way when anti-Semitic slogans and hatred of Jews are spread at universities," he said, without providing details on what he considered hateful comments.
Germany is among Israel's staunchest allies, and political leaders in Berlin have repeatedly stated that Israel has a right to self defence in the wake of the October 7 attacks.
Domestically, authorities have been quick to crack down on pro-Palestinian protests citing fears of anti-Semitism, with critics saying the current climate has led to a supression of pro-Palestinian voices.
"We will do everything we can as the Berlin Senate to ensure that Jewish students are not afraid to enter the universities."
Elsewhere in Germany, protesters have began taking more action as the war in Gaza continues, and amid a looming Israeli offensive on the Gzan city of Rafah.
Dozens of people staged a sit-in at Leipzig University on Tuesday. The university said that 50 to 60 protesters were involved. Police said they were assessing the situation.
On Friday, an estimated 150 activists protested at Humboldt University in Berlin.
The protesters demanded a lecture theatre as the venue for the rally, which the university management refused to grant. Police later opened 37 investigations into possible cases of incitement to hatred and resisting law enforcement officers.
For more than two weeks, there have been protests at numerous universities in the United States, Britain and other countries against the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.