Spotted this sign today and was pretty surprised. The top part is standard 24/7 police surveillance, but I’ve never seen a government announce that they stop recording for protests.

In the UK, it feels like cameras are specifically there to monitor protests, so this seems like the complete opposite approach.

Why is this a law in Germany? I'm guessing it has to do with protecting the freedom of assembly, but would love for any Germans or legal experts to explain the history and thinking behind this. Is this common across the country?

by Chloebaex

6 comments

  2. The Law that governs this is literally written on the sign and it explains why:

    §15a PolG NRW

  4. It’s normal in Germany. The theory behind it is, that in fear of being recorded during a assemby some people would tend to not behaving, expressing their opinion or joining at all as they would like to without cameras.
    Therefore it was ruled, that surveillance cameras could surpress the freedom to assembly and freedom of speech.

    But this is only for peaceful protests. If crimes or dangers are expexted there are exeptions for the police (e.g. Art. 9 BayVersG in Bavaria).

  5. The right to assembly is very important in the jurisprudence of the Federal Constitutional Court. They have ruled that camera surveillance would intimidate people and restrict their freedom to assemble and make their opinion heard.

    The police is allowed to take overview pictures that do not allow identification of individual protesters though.

    It’s a general legal thing: The general police law does not apply to public protests but only the Versammlungsgesetz which gives less powers to thw police.

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