Muslim protesters gathered in Hamburg, Germany over the weekend, where many in the crowd called for the establishment of a caliphate within the European nation.
According to the Telegraph, the demonstration included over 1,000 protesters, with a number of them stating that an Islamic State is needed in Germany. The event, organized by Joe Adade Boateng, leader of Muslim Interaktiv, sought to address what Boateng described as the misrepresentation of Muslims in the media. In his address to the crowd, Boateng emphasized the need for a "righteous caliphate" in Germany to resolve these perceived injustices.
The demonstrators responded to Boateng’s comments by chanting “Allahu akbar,” with many holding up signs that read “Caliphate is the solution,” and “Stop the media hate.”
Boateng, known as "Raheem Boateng" on social media platforms, has drawn scrutiny for his group's activities, including anti-Israel demonstrations and statements against homosexuality. The organization’s rhetoric prompted Hamburg's interior senator from the Social Democratic Party, Andy Grote, to declare that “hard and decisive action” needs to be taken against Islamic extremists.
The calls for Islamic rule in Germany have grown over the past few years, as the country has taken in a record number of Islamic asylum seekers compared to any other European nation.
A study by the Criminal Research Institute of Lower Saxony revealed concerning trends among German school children, with a significant portion expressing belief in the supremacy of Islamic law over German legislation. The study found that 67% of surveyed school children in Germany believe that the Koran is “more important” than the laws of Germany, and 45.6% of these students think that “Islamic Theory is the best form of government," according to the Daily Mail.
Furthermore, Germany witnessed an immediate surge in antisemitism in the country following Hamas’ initial assault on Israel on October 7. In the following month, Germany had a 320% surge in antisemitism, according to the AP. The country has also continued to receive backlash from anti-Israel activists for its compliance in selling weapons to Israel.