Following the incident where activists raised a Palestinian flag directly in front of the Reichstag building, SPD parliamentary affairs director Dirk Wiese has expressed openness to discussions regarding the implementation of an exclusion zone. Previously the party maintained that an exclusion zone surrounding the German Bundestag was unnecessary, citing the desire for an “accessible parliament.” However, Wiese stated that given the recent events, alongside similar attempts at storming the building by AfD-linked groups several years ago-such as the protests against COVID measures in 2020 that targeted the Reichstag steps-the possibility of reassessing this measure is definitely warranted.
The actions by the Palestinian activists this past weekend intensified the national discussion about the security of the German Bundestag. Wiese remarked that it is necessary to thoroughly review how the flag-raising occurred and why immediate intervention was not made. He clarified that while the Berlin police are responsible for security outside the premises, the Bundestag Police is tasked with protecting the integrity of the buildings themselves.
Looking toward measures specific to the properties, Wiese assured that protective measures are being taken. Currently, the law governing the Bundestag Police is being negotiated, which is intended to legally regulate and “moderately expand” the police’s authority. Among the planned changes is the establishment of a legally defined and tightened reliability check for individuals seeking access to the parliamentary buildings. Furthermore, the Bundestag Police will be granted future powers to defend against drones, facilitating cooperation with the Berlin state police.
