Berlin Stories

Revolutionary 1 May Demonstration

1st May is International Workers Day, also known as Labour Day or May Day – a global day of action and resistance for worker’s rights and against capitalist exploitation. As the German state continues to cut budgets for social and public services while reaching record levels of military spendings including arms used in the genocide in Palestine, the day is as relevant as ever. The revolutionary 1st May demonstration in Berlin highlights the interconnectedness of global struggles for liberation and worker’s rights. Join the May Day protest in Berlin, starting at 18:00 from Südstern. A Palestine Bloc will be organised by activist groups like Migranitfa, Global South United, PA Allies and others.

1 May Fundraiser at Oona Bar 

On May Day, Refuge hosts a fundraiser event at Oona with music, talks, and a Soli breakfast with coffee and baked goods. Curated by Meriem S and Adam Cooke, the day includes talk shows with Reclaim the Narratives, Sudan Uprising, and Tropical Diaspora Records. Throughout the day Oona Bar offers special deals on drinks. All proceeds from the soli breakfast will be donated to 3ezwa Palestine Legal fund and MOTHER Emergency Relief for Sudan, organised by DJ Soulseek and her collective MOTHER.loading.

Take Back the Night Queer-Feminist Demonstration

On the evening before May Day, the Take Back the Night demonstration takes place. This queer-feminist, leftist protest against patriarchal oppression of FLINTA* people globally is a way of collectively reclaiming the city streets at night. In 2025 alone, 30 femicides were reported in Germany, with cases of femicides, harassment, domestic violence and abuse rising globally. TBTN stands in solidarity with everyone fighting patriarchal oppression and highlights the intersections of the struggle for liberation: None of us are free until all of us are free. On 30 April at 20:00 a rally will be held at Mariannenplatz and the walking demo will start at 21:00. Come by to be loud and show your anger at this oppressive system. No cis men are welcome at this protest.

SINEMAplural Fellowship for Underrepresented Voices in Film

Sinema Transtopia has opened applications for a 9-month fellowship program for BiPoC interested in film and sociopolitical topics like migration, anti-racism, inclusion, and gender equality. The 15 chosen fellows will learn filmmaking through a critical lens and develop fully funded praxis projects. The fellowship SINEMAplural completely free and designed to amplify underrepresented voices in film and media. You can find out more here. Applications close on 31 May.

Faravaz Concert: Criminal Charge: Singing 

On 11 May, the Iranian singer Faravaz will release her solo debut record with a live show at SO36. The album is called “Azadi” (meaning freedom in Farsi), and speaks to the global struggle for liberation from patriarchal oppression. Faravaz was sentenced to one year in prison in Iran for singing as a woman, which is considered a crime in Iran. On 11 May she will sing and raise her voice against oppression with an ensemble of other artists. In a time where artists and the masses alike are being denied border entries because of political positions of their cultures of origin and/or political stance, join Faravaz in her tune of freedom. Tickets are available here.

Charité Berlin Workers Demand Equal Pay

The workers at Charité Berlin have been fighting for equal pay for many years. Charité Berlin, a renowned hospital, outsourced labour for years through a subsidiary company, CFM. Workers employed via CFM earn up to 20% less than their colleagues directly employed by Charite while doing the exact same job. This affects more than 3000 people working in logistics, kitchen, cleaning, transportation and security – essential workers without whom the hospital could not function. Previous strikes led Berlin’s mayor, Kai Wegner, to promise action. However, he has failed to deliver. The workers are now back on strike, demanding equal pay and worker’s rights. You can support their demands by signing the petition to end wage dumping at Charité Berlin or donating to the strike fund, which alleviates the financial burden of the strikers and helps them to maintain pressure on the Senate and employers.

From Rafah to Jerusalem Demonstration

A demonstration will take place at 16:00 on 3 May in solidarity with Rafah, the supposed “safe zone” despite month long bombings resulting in 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, and 1200 deaths. Demonstrate in solidarity with Rafah alongside organizers PA Allies, Alliance of International Feminists, Palestine Speaks, etc, and will start at the Wilmersdorfer Straße U-bahn Station. More info here. 

Lorenz A. shot by police in Oldenburg

On Sunday, 20 April, Lorenz A., a 21-year-old Black man, was shot by police in Oldenburg, Germany. The incident happened after Lorenz was denied entry to a nightclub and used pepper spray against the security guards. The police got involved and later claimed that Lorenz had threatened them with a knife. Those claims were disproven: no knife found, and Lorenz A. was shot four times from behind. The officer responsible was suspended, and the case is being investigated by the police department in Delmenhorst. However, the department in charge has its own history of racist police violence like the controversial death of 19-year-old Qosay Khalaf in 2021 in their custody. Civil rights groups are calling for an independent investigation of the case. 

Lorenz’ killing and the false claims by the police have caused nationwide protests calling for justice for Lorenz and many others killed at the hands of German police in the past. The initiative Gerechtigkeit für Lorenz (Justice for Lorenz) demands accountability and consequences for the officers involved and aims to expose the racist structures of systems of policing. They are also raising funds to help alleviate the financial burden of the burial, lawyers, and court fees and to start a public campaign to educate about racist police brutality. Support their campaign and donate to the initiative.  

Justice Collective Launches Emergency Fund Against Punishment in Fast-Track Courts 

The Justice Collective and Court Watch Berlin – activist groups investigating discriminatory structures in the penal system, have launched an emergency fund to support people criminalized in so-called fast-track courts where trials often last only 15 minutes, typically without legal counsel. Fast-track courts are mostly used when dealing with “mass cases”, usually offences connected to people’s poverty like not being able to pay off fines for riding the bus without a ticket. If the fines and court fees then cannot be paid off, people can be imprisoned through Ersatzfreiheitsstrafe (substitute imprisonment). This mostly affects poor, racialised, and other marginalized people. The emergency fund is part of a legal defence structure. The Justice Collective are building to help people pay off court fines and avoid imprisonment. Donate to the Emergency Fund Against Punishment to support this work.   

Petition Against Wolfram Weimar as State Minister of Culture

A petition has been started against the conservative politician Wolfram Weimer becoming the new state minister for culture and media. Weimer is publisher and founder of the conservative magazine Cicero as well as former editor of Welt and Focus – two publications known for their conservative-right stance and economy-centered perspectives. In his texts, Weimer has repeatedly issued racist and homophobic remarks. The petition urges the CDU-SPD coalition and Friedrich Merz to not appoint him to the position. Sign the petition here.

Soli Showcase and Concerts

On Saturday, 3 May, a solidarity showcase for Palestine will take place at Adlerhalle, Rathausblock near Mehringdamm. Organized by singer Micayl and a group of artists, among them Sans Soucis, the evening will feature live music, DJ sets, and food stalls. It starts at 18:00. The entrance is donation-based, with all proceeds going to grassroots emergency funds for Palestine. Due to limited capacity, please register in advance. 

3ezwa Takeover 

On 10 May, 3ezwa returns to Oona for a takeover. The Berlin-based activist group supports people facing legal consequences for their solidity with Palestine and gathers funds to pay off legal fees and fines. Come by Oona Bar in the evening to enjoy to the specially curated programme and contribute to the legal fund.

Big Plates to Small Hearts

Join British Somali chef and writer Halimo Hussainon on 4 May for a late lunch from 15:00 and drinks from 19:00 at Ring Bar Berlin. This gathering is part of Halimo’s project What's for Casho, a platform aiming to share stories of how Somali culinary culture cultivates intimacy through a practice of care. Somali artworks will be exhibited to accompany the communal dinner. More info here. 

JEW. DESPITE GERMANY.

JEW. DESPITE GERMANY. is an illustrated autobiography written by Udi Raz with artworks by Ariel Victor. Powerfully blending accounts of true events, political analysis, and narrative fiction, this book is a personal and political journey, exploring the struggle between Judaism and Zionism through Udi's path from Palestine to Berlin. Exposing Germany’s complicity in silencing dissent and selectively protecting Jews, it critiques what it means to exist as a Jew, against all odds, despite Germany. Learn more and support the project here and join us for the book pre-launch on Tuesday 13th May at NM1.

Arabic Film Festival Closing Party Update – Artists Denied Visa Entry

For those excited for the Arabic Film’s festival’s closing party at Gretchen on 30 April, the organizers announced that Egyptian rapper El Waili and Jordanian pop artist Zeid Khaled were denied entry to the Shengen zone. AL.Berlin has not cancelled – the party goes on with live acts by Beirut-based producer Etyen and Palestinian Singer Salwa Jaradat, blending electronic experimentation with Arabic live vocals. DJ sets by diasporic artists Medussar, DumTak, and the AL.Berlin crew will follow. For those with a ticket, two free drinks await at the door. Celebrate with AL.Berlin despite political realities of repression and silencing, which do not dictate community values. More info here.

Arabic Diaspora Forbidden Landscapes Workshop 

For those of the Arabic diaspora missing home, join Spore Initiative in reconnecting with Palestinian, Lebanese, Jordanian, and Syrian culture through workshops on wild plants of the region. The event will take place from 11:00-15:00 at Spore. As part of diaspora communities living away from homelands, cultural community based practices can help ground, reconnect, and rediscover identity across space and time through learning about Indigenous lands and using seeds as living archives to remember and resist. Following the workshop, a cooking session will be held using the plants from the session where participants can share their own stories, recipes, and rituals. More info here. 

Berlin Asia Arts Club 

At C-Space on 3 May BAAC hosts Bodies and Walls + Vaters Motherland from 16:00 onward, featuring multiple artists of the Asian diaspora working across a range of artistic disciplines. Bodies and Walls will kick off with a workshop with Vietnamese artist Daniel Parasaudi doing a live mural painting in the courtyard, followed by an artist talk with Daniel from 18:00. The afternoon will also feature Chinese artist Tao Haiyue in collaboration with Japanese artist Yansheng, presenting an interactive exhibition of Yangsheng’s explorations of Daoist inspired wellness tools, accompanied by Tao’s live music performance. The concept aims to connect the audience to their mind and body through movement and sound. Following, Vaters Motherland, featuring readings and live music will round off the evening from 19:30. More info here.  

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Header Photo by Jaime Musso from to be young in a world that's burning (film)

Photos by Jaime Musso, Spore, and Sinema Transtopia