Berlin May Day 2025: Protest, Power, and the Police Eye

Berlin, 1 May 2025 — On the streets of Kreuzberg, May Day is a passionate ritual and, for many, resistance in motion.

From Südstern to the shadows of Hermannplatz, over 10,000 people marched and thousands more watched from the sidelines.

The protest, with a history of decades of leftist organising, brought together anti-capitalist, anti-war, and pro-migrant groups.

One striking visual was the sheer scale of police presence. Berlin’s city website reported 5,000 officers were deployed. They were heavily armed with drones, cameras, and rooftop floodlights.

The state’s gaze was inescapable.

These photographs document the energy, tension, and solidarity that defined this year’s demonstration in Berlin.