Thousands of people have demonstrated solidarity with rescuers and safe escape routes in several German cities. According to Alliance Pier, 12,000 people participated in rally in Berlin. According to RBB, Berlin police said that number of participants was "in lower four-digit range". Protests also took place in Frankfurt am Main, Heidelberg, Leipzig and Munich.

The Alliance Pier is, according to its own data, supported by more than a dozen civil society organisations. The initiative arose spontaneously when lifeline of refugee auxiliary ship, with 234 people on board, was prevented from entering a port. "To let people die in Mediterranean in order to furr partitioning of Europe and to carry out political power struggles is unbearable and speaks against all humanity," writes initiators of Berlin demonstration in ir call.

Orange as a sign of solidarity

The movement had called on demonstrators to wear colour orange as a sign of solidarity in protest campaigns – in line with life jackets, which are often orange. From German and European policies, alliance calls for safe escape routes, a decriminalization of rescue and a humane reception of people who had to flee.

The authorities in Malta are currently denying lifeline and Sea-watch 3 rescue ships exit from port. The captain of Lifeline is also prosecuted: he is accused of having used Dutch flag of ship wrongly. Not only boats of rescuers are not allowed to run out at moment – even at least one reconnaissance aircraft cannot start. The Moonbird, a plane that inspected Mediterranean Sea for shipwrecked boats, was banned from launching Malta.

The rescuers speak of political calculus: it should be avoided that refugees are saved and n brought to European mainland. Critics accuse Notrettern of supporting smuggling to Europe directly or indirectly through ir work. In June alone, it was estimated that more than 550 people drowned on ir crossing in Mediterranean.

Date Of Update: 08 July 2018, 12:02