Protesters call for Islamic state in Germany

Video captured over 1,100 protesters marching through Hamburg on Saturday with signs reading “Caliphate is the solution.”

Thousands of protesters marched through Hamburg over the weekend, calling for an Islamic state in Germany. They carried signs declaring, “Caliphate is the solution.” Videos of the rally showed demonstrators chanting “Allahu akbar” and carrying copies of the local tabloid newspaper, Bild, smeared with red paint.

The demonstration was organized by the controversial group Muslim Interaktiv, currently under investigation by Hamburg’s domestic intelligence for “extremism,” according to The Telegraph. The group’s leader, Joe Adade Boateng, stated Germany needed a “righteous caliphate” to address media misrepresentation faced by Muslim groups.

March organizer Joe Adade Boateng, who leads Muslim Interaktiv, said Germany needed a "righteous caliphate" to rectify the misrepresentation Muslim groups have faced in the media.

Hamburg police reported at least 1,100 participants, and a translated post on X read, “We will raise our voices together, inshallah,” against Islamophobic reporting.

Muslim Interaktiv has gained popularity on social media, especially TikTok, with over 24,000 followers. They have been critical of Germany’s support for Tel Aviv since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, advocating for more radical responses.

Police said there were at least 1,100 protesters present at the march on Saturday.

Previously, the group organized a 3,500-person demonstration against the public burning of the Koran in Sweden and an anti-Israel protest after the Oct. 7 attack. Hamburg's interior senator Andy Grote called for “hard and decisive action” against Islamic extremists, singling out Muslim Interaktiv.

Other German politicians criticized the group for its extremism and questioned why it hasn't been banned for its connections with Hizb ut-Tahrir, a fundamentalist political organization aiming to establish a caliphate.