Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown out of a German parliament plenary chamber on Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt with the word “Palestine” printed on it, a move deemed a political statement by the parliamentary leadership.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during the session, reminding MPs that political messages on clothing are not permitted in the chamber.
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress “in keeping with the prestige” of the institution. Enforcement of this standard is left to the discretion of the session chair.
Should have had a second person wearing an Israel shirt, and see who gets kicked out.
Just to say it, but both the far right AFD and tankie BSW got into trouble for holding up signs in the Bundestag. Allowing t-shirts with prints would be such an obvious loophole around that.
No prints allowed? Like, at all? Else, next time they should wear one with just a watermelon.
Or… Even better, just go in and have a watermelon slice with you, in a tupper. Open it and have it there on the table :)
While the Bundestag does not have a detailed dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress “in keeping with the prestige” of the institution.
So, there is no actual rule that she actually broke, unless we interpret the word “Palestine” to be not in keeping with the prestige of the Budestag. Are other country names or geographical regions also not in keeping with the prestige of the Bundestag? Like, when I visit can I not wear a shirt that says “Greece” on it? Or that says “Quebec” or “Antarctica”? Or is this is a special rule for country names that butthurt Germany’s “staatsraison”?
if you, a tourist, would wear written clothing, nothing happens. It is for members of parliament that they can be expelled. Although we often times see politians dressed in light blue and yellow, to show solidarity with Ukraine. So why not for Palestine? That would be aNtisEmiTiSm
"Doch es sind nicht immer Linke, Grüne und Sozialdemokraten, die die Kleiderordnung offen interpretieren. Die heutige Staatsministerin für Raumfahrt Dorothee Bär (CSU) trug 2015 unter ihrem Blazer ein Trikot des FC Bayern München, samt Logo der Telekom. Hier kam der Protest von links.
Die Beispiele zeigen: Die Würde des Hauses unterliegt auch dem Zeitgeist. Und der scheint – zumindest unter der Bundestagspräsidentin Klöckner – wieder konservativer zu werden. "
God forbid politicians make political statements.
Not with their clothes, though. The political debate in the Bundestag is conducted through words and to be fair, that seems like a reasonable idea.
AfD members of parliament are routinely wearing German flag pins, which carries a pretty obvious message coming from a far right party.
If she wore a Ukraine shirt (which would be based) or even an Israel shirt (which would not be based), it would have been handled differently. Hell apparently there is a history of members wearing soccer team shirts with no problems.
“The problem isn’t the protests, it’s what they’re protesting.” Macklemore
Why would you make that assumption? Its completely baseless and most likely untrue.
My assumption is based on two years of German authorities and institutions cracking down on pro-Palestinian voices. Somehow, each time there is some specific rule or sub-rule that is being invoked, but somehow it always ends up being a silencing of pro-Palestinian protest, activism, speech.
Why I would assume the worst of German institutions when it comes to pro-Palestinian stances? Here is the fuck why:
- https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/germany
- https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/germany-palestine-protest/
- https://www.humanrightsresearch.org/post/crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-voices-in-germany-a-disturbing-pattern
- https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4362806-germanys-unprecedented-crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-speech/
- https://globalvoices.org/2024/04/18/inside-germanys-orwellian-crackdown-on-palestine-congress/
- https://zeteo.com/p/germany-crackdown-pro-palestine-speech-sign-holocaust-gaza
- https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/11/8/why-is-germany-supporting-israels-genocide-in-gaza
- https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/germany-palestine-activists-deportation-state-repression
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/18/hannah-arendt-prize-masha-gessen-israel-gaza-essay
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/03/germany-deporting-pro-palestine-eu-citizens-chilling-new-step
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/free-speech-is-a-facade-how-gaza-war-has-deepened-divisions-in-german-arts-world
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/11/denouncing-critics-of-israel-as-un-jews-or-antisemites-is-a-perversion-of-history
- https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-nicaragua-germany-genocide-court-91a605921b44110ae5534e6438405997
- https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/11/bpig-m11.html
I have simply lost faith in German institutions on this matter.
To return to you the question: why would I NOT assume that German institutions would find some way to ratfuck with pro-Palestinian voices? On what exactly can I build a set of good faith assumptions on German benevolence on the matter? Because I see fucking nothing.
You said a Ukraine shirt would not have been treated the same. Thats what I was asking about. Nothing you wrote supports that point
When it happens, youre welcome to get upset and you should be. But until then Im glad they are at least enforcing the rules that are in place like they are intended and dont start making up their own arbitrary rules giving no fucks about democracy like in fascist US.
PoLiTiCaL sTaTeMeNt
I thought about spelling this onomatopoeically as it would sound with Bibi’s dick in their mouth but I’m lazy
Removed by mod
Palestine has repeatedly called for the extermination of all Jews
I can make shit up too, check it out: “giraffes are purple”
My bullshit at least is not enabling genocide.
Hamas is not Palestine and the ADL is a genocide enabling organization that harbours deep anti-Palestinian racism. Got any better arguments to support your bigoted writings?
Lmao, Jesus Christ. I can lead a horse to water, but I can’t make it drink.
Got it. You actually don’t have any better arguments to support your bigoted writings.
Yeah, I guess verbatim quotations from Palestinian leadership isn’t enough to establish what they think. Too bad I don’t have your standards of just applying feelings without regard for the facts; you’re wise not to let logic or human decency stand in the way of your antisemitism, you might accidentally develop some self awareness
You are showing how Hamas are antisemitic. You are then elevating Hamas to all of Palestine. That’s neither net logic or human decency, that’s bait-and-switch.
But you know, we can play this game. Are you are ready to accept statements of Israeli top officials (from the freaking President, to the Prime Minister and his Ministers, to MKs and further down) as Israeli policy to exterminate Palestinians? Or is nuance only allowed for Israel and never allowed for Palestinians? Or is it that if we allow equal amounts of nuance to both sides, then that is antisemitism?
“You shouldn’t do politics here”
“But it’s literally the Parliament!”