In Germany, like in several other European nations, the concerns of Islamophobia, institutional discrimination, hate speech, and the destruction of mosques have long been a pressing political and societal matter.
The mistreatment of Muslims through insults, violence, and even murders has only added to the existing unease among this community. However, since October 7, their fears in the "Republic of Fear" have intensified even more. The ongoing conflict in Palestine has amplified political pressures on Muslims and Islamic communities in Germany. Hence, for this group, October 7 was a pivotal moment that posed new challenges.
The Muslim community's solidarity with Gaza regarding the recent massacres in workplaces, schools, and public spaces has been met with suspicion and backlash from the German bureaucracy. This pressure to show support for Gaza has had a significant impact on civil society since October 7.
Within the first four weeks after this date, over 850 individuals were arrested by the Berlin police under claims of being pro-Palestinian. This number does not even include those who were detained during peaceful protests, and experts believe that the actual figure is much higher than reported. The Berlin police have justified their ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations by citing "incendiary, antisemitic chants" and a perceived "imminent danger" of potential violence. As a result, an atmosphere of intolerance towards anything related to Palestine has emerged in the streets of Berlin.
The issue is prevalent in other major German cities as well. There has been a rise in restrictions on freedom of speech enforced by state institutions. This not only affects Muslims, but also other groups speaking out against Israel and its actions. As a result of this societal pressure, individuals have now come to accept and expect "self-censorship" as the norm.
For instance, a Jewish artist who publicly opposed Zionism faced multiple death threats for his pro-Palestinian views. However, when he reported these threats to the Berlin police, no action was taken, leading him to comment that Germany is currently experiencing a "McCarthyism era."
While Germany prides itself on its democratic values and often lectures others on human rights, free media, and freedom of expression, there are signs of actions contradicting these principles within the country. This is especially evident in the recent implementation of antidemocratic measures, particularly in the aforementioned areas. In response, many members of German society and media have aligned themselves with the government's security-focused policies under social and institutional coercion.
This situation is closely tied to the implementation of the new "security paradigm." In both international relations and national politics, securitization is the process of transforming regular issues and political matters into matters of "security," allowing state actors to justify using extreme measures in the name of security.
Within this framework, the German government has made a point of securitizing "Imported Antisemitism," "Leading Culture", and the concept of "State Reason" in relation to Israel. In doing so, it solidified its authority in shaping these ideas and enforced a particular narrative that aligns with its own agenda in society.
Institutionally, this process has enabled media organizations to operate within the limits defined by the state in a space where self-censorship is formed if these limits are exceeded. Thus, the media has largely become a servant of the state's securitization policies. Especially through the securitization of the three mentioned concepts, a period has begun where the thoughts of the Muslim community in Germany have led to state sanctions. Therefore, these three concepts must be well understood.
