The Berlin Administrative Court ruled that the Berlin police violated Cem Ince’s rights through press statements. What she is no longer allowed to say.
Bundestag member Cem Ince (Die Linke) has achieved legal success against the Berlin police. For the time being, she is no longer allowed to say that Ince is with one Demonstration in Wedding am 12. Oktober 2025 was arrested because he had previously assaulted a police officer. The Berlin Administrative Court decided this in an urgent procedure on Tuesday.
At the demonstration against an arms company, Ince wore a labeled vest and identified himself as a parliamentary observer. Nevertheless, a police officer approached him and hit him in the face, he described on Instagram. Police officers pulled him away by his hood and “threw him” into a police car. There the police then hit his face and head several times, even though he did not defend himself. Finally they drove him away to determine his identity.
The police later stated: “The deputy’s arrest was due to a previous physical attack on a police officer, in which the deputy allegedly punched the police officer several times in the direction of and against the head.” The police made similar statements to various media outlets. She also claimed that the meeting was not registered.
After the police rejected the cease-and-desist declaration requested by Ince, he submitted an urgent application to the administrative court. The statements would violate his general personal rights, prejudge him and violate the presumption of innocence, the principle of objectivity and the rule of law. The claim of an unreported meeting is false. This also has a negative overall effect on his public perception, which is particularly important due to his parliamentary mandate.
Court granted the request
The Berlin Administrative Court ruled in favor of the MP. It confirmed the violation of general personal rights. The permissible report of suspicion (“supposed to have struck”) remained unaffected by the provisional injunction. The court also recognized the urgency because the ongoing damage to reputation could no longer be repaired. There was a real risk of recurrence as the police continued to believe the statements were lawful and there was ongoing public interest in the case.
Ince was satisfied with the taz. “For me, the decision represents a first success and shows how important constitutional control of the police is,” he said. He is aware that “there are many people affected by police violence who are often unable to defend themselves. That is also why this court decision is so important.”
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