On 4 September, Berlin saw demonstrations by supporters and opponents of the closure of the “Russian House of Science and Culture”.
All rallies took place under heightened police protection, with officers restricting participants’ access to the venues, DW reports.
About 500 people gathered outside the “Russian House” building to protest against its closure. The rally was organised by Sahra Wagenknecht’s party, the Communist Party of Germany, and the non-governmental organisation “Society for Russian-German Friendship”.
Nearby, around 250 people gathered demanding that the “Russian House” be closed. Representatives of the Greens and pro-Ukrainian activists joined the protest. They brought symbolic boxes for the institution’s staff to pack their belongings into, and held placards reading “Suitcase, station, Moscow” and “No to Kremlin propaganda!”.
Another small protest was staged by just over a dozen people carrying the white-blue-white flags of the so-called Russian opposition. They also demanded the institution’s closure.
- On 1 September, Germany stated that Russia was directly involved in a hybrid attack that took place on 4 August in Leipzig.
- In response to Moscow’s actions, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced the closure of Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn and the “Russian House” in Berlin, which is officially a cultural centre but is considered a hub of Russian espionage. After that, the only diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation in Germany will be the embassy in Berlin.