Last Saturday, July 15, according to various sources, up to 600 people gathered in Herford in North Rhine-Westphalia to take to the streets against police violence and racism. The demonstration was prompted by an incident on June 3 this year in which 19-year-old Bilel was stopped by the police for driving without lights and in the course of the check was attacked by the cops with 34 shots. Six bullets hit Bilel directly, who in the aftermath was in danger of his life and has since suffered paraplegia.
In the run-up to the demonstration, a horror scenario about the demonstration and its participants was already spread by the bourgeois local press. The "Neue Westfälische" published an article a few days before the demonstration in which it warned of an alliance of "left-wing extremists" and "Salafists" who would mobilize together against the police. One reason for the panic in the province is said to have been calls on social media to counter the police violence in Herford with the same means as in France. This scaremongering was then also evident on the day of the demonstration itself. Thus, according to journalists and demonstration participants, not only various police task forces were on site, but also the "evidence and arrest units", which are categorized as special units. This martial contingent is said to have created an oppressive and intimidating atmosphere, according to various observers on the scene. According to visual impressions and reports, the 600 participants include not only people from the revolutionary movement, but also a large proportion of friends and acquaintances of Bilel from the deepest and broadest masses, many of whom are migrants.
Shortly after the opening rally, the demonstration is stopped. The reason for this is said to be occasional throwing of firecrackers and plastic bottles at the cops and mummery. The cops then forbade the demonstration the way through the city center and the walk to the police headquarters and announced the use of a surveillance drone, which was also used thereupon real. Arrived at the Herford town hall, the place of the first intermediate rally, it came according to eyewitnesses to confusing chase scenes in which the police went several times into the demonstration and attacked people. Observers testify above all that the attacks of the police were directed specifically against the part of the demonstration, which consisted of migrant youth and young adults. In the course of this, a total of six demonstration participants are said to have been arrested.
A few minutes later, the demonstration was declared over by the organizers. A little later, it came again to chase scenes in which the cops attacked particularly migrant demonstration participants in side streets with pepper spray and batons and then encircled them in several places. Subsequently, all of those who were surrounded had to undergo identification treatment before they were released from the measure after hours. While some of the cops were busy with measures in the encirclement during this period, there are said to have been light clashes and occasional stone-throwing at the cops in other places.
Meanwhile, in the social networks such as TikTok, Instagram or Twitter, various videos can be found that come from the most determined spectrum among the demonstration participants and show both police violence and resistance against them. Particularly widespread is a recorded song and music video with scenes from the clashes at the demonstration, which demands justice for Bilel, also refers to Nahel, who was murdered in France, and calls for resistance to police violence.
