Irish citizens Shane O'Brien and Roberta 'Bert' Murray, along with two other activists, say they are fighting the deportation orders lodged against them in Berlin, Germany.
Their story was first reported by The Intercept on Monday, March 31 and later featured on +972, an independent magazine run by Palestinian and Israeli journalists,
According to The Intercept, "Berlin’s immigration authorities are moving to deport four young foreign residents on allegations related to participation in protests against Israel’s war on Gaza."
While O'Brien and Murray are both Irish citizens, Cooper Longbottom is a US citizen and Kasia Wlaszczyk is a Polish citizen.
In a statement issued on April 1 and shared by Irish Bloc Berlin, the four activists say they have been ordered to leave Germany by April 21.
The joint statement said: "For the sole reason of protesting Germany’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine, Berlin's Senatsverwaltung für Inneres und Sport (SenInnSport) has ordered our expulsion, arbitrarily accusing us of 'antisemitism' and supporting 'terrorist organisations' referring to Haraket-al-Muqawameh al-Islamiyyeh (Islamic Resistance Movement) or Hamas, as well as 'its front organisations in Germany and Europe.'"
They added: "Not one of us has a criminal record."
"Germany's revocation of one student visa and three EU citizens right to move within the EU is an unprecedented escalation with dire implications," the joint statement continued, adding: "These escalations should alarm movements confronting state violence everywhere."
The four said that with their legal team, "we will fight this deportation all the way to the highest courts."
"Pushing the limits"
According to the Irish Times on Wednesday, 31-year-old Murray moved to Berlin in May 2022 and has been working in a cafe and as an artist. O’Brien, 29, who is fluent in German and works as a software engineer, has lived in Germany for a number of years.
The two Irish citizens were both living in the Berlin neighborhood of Neukölln, which has a large Middle Eastern immigrant community, when demonstrations against Israel’s attacks on Gaza began.
O’Brien acted as a volunteer steward during protests. In one incident at a protest in October 2024, he was punched in the face by a police officer and his nose was broken. The Irish Times said it corroborated the incident with video footage.
O’Brien was previously brought to court charged with insulting a police officer. He was accused of calling the officer a “fascist," though he was acquitted of that charge.
There are several other outstanding charges against him, the Irish Times noted.
Meanwhile, Murray attended several protests and later received police letters, with one accusing the Irish citizen of having a T-shirt with the slogan – “From Risa to the Spree” – a play on the slogan “from the river to the sea” that has been outlawed in Germany. Risa is a popular chicken shop in Berlin.
The investigation was subsequently dismissed.
Alexander Gorski of the European Legal Support Centre is representing the four foreign citizens. He said the deportation orders were evidence of the Berlin authorities “pushing the limits to see what they can get away it."
"Fundamental concern in terms of the freedom of movement rights"
Meanwhile, the issue was raised in the Dail on Wednesday by Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell.
"All EU citizens and their family members have the right to move and reside freely within the EU," Farrell said, addressing Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
"This fundamental right is established in EU treaty law and the decision to expel an EU citizen is the highest form of restriction on freedom of movement.
"Two Irish citizens, Shane O'Brien and Roberta Murray, have been issued with deportation orders because of their values.
"Neither of these individuals has been convicted of a related crime, and my query is: is opposition to genocide not an EU value?"
Responding, the Taoiseach said he was aware of the reports of Irish citizens facing deportation in Germany.
"That is of fundamental concern in terms of the freedom of movement rights that EU citizens have," the Taoiseach said, adding that he believes the Embassy in Berlin has raised the matter with the German foreign ministry.
"We will raise this issue with the German authorities," the Taoiseach added.
He continued: "Each of the four is apparently facing differing charges.
"It is reflective of a completely different climate in Germany as opposed to here or other European countries in respect of the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I have been saying that for ages in the House. This is a manifestation of that.
"I am not justifying it in any shape or form; it is just illustrative of a completely different approach taken to protest to Germany on this issue as opposed to what would be taken here."
I raised the deportation order against two Irish citizens from Berlin with the Taoiseach today.
They have not been convicted of any crimes, this a policy decision based on their opposition to the genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/InBpbWaacF
— Mairéad Farrell TD (@Farrell_Mairead) April 2, 2025
“People have a right to protest peacefully"
Separately, Labour Senator Nessa Cosgrove expressed her solidarity with O'Brien and Murray in a statement on Wednesday in which she argued that the right to protest must be protected.
"I know Roberta and her family, and they have been steadfast in their support for the people of Palestine," Cosgrove noted.
She continued: “It’s very concerning to see an EU Member State take such an action against citizens of another EU country for protesting and raising the plight of people in Gaza.
“People have a right to protest peacefully and all States have a duty to respect and protect this right. The message that the German Government appears to be sending worldwide is that only some protesting is legitimate. The reported heavy handed approach by German police attending Gaza rallies has been well documented, and many Irish living in Berlin who want to express their solidarity with Gaza have been on the receiving end of this.
“Our Foreign Affairs spokesperson Duncan Smith TD has written to the German Ambassador in Dublin to express Labour’s concern at this matter and to call for the immediate rescinding of these deportation orders.
“It’s incumbent on the Irish Government to express its commitment to protecting the right to peaceful protest. What’s happening in Gaza is utterly shocking and cannot be ignored.”
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