Protest in Schönefeld: Construction stop for controversial asylum center called for!

Protest in Schönefeld: Construction stop for controversial asylum center called for!

Things are simmering at BER Airport in Schönefeld, Brandenburg: a new construction freeze for the planned entry and exit center for migrants is the focus of numerous protests. The initiative “Prevent BER deportation center” mobilized demonstrators on Sunday who protested against the construction of the center and raised eyebrows with slogans such as “Stop deportation detention and asylum procedures directly at the airport”. The police were on site to accompany the protest. Reports that MAZ, the center will not be put into operation until 2028 at the earliest, although a private investor originally wanted to complete construction by 2026.

The Ministry of the Interior in Potsdam has confirmed the information regarding the center, which is designed as a kind of government center. The functions for the entry and exit of migrants are to be centralized. However, for many critics, especially refugee organizations, this plan is unthinkable and they warn of a threat to human dignity. They describe the planned center as a “deportation center” and thereby justify the protests, which are based on the motto of human rights. According to that Berlin courier The demonstrators were able to point out the abuses in the asylum system again on Sunday.

The political framework conditions

This Wednesday evening there will be a meeting of the municipal council in Schönefeld, at which the initiative would like to make a statement. She appeals to the representatives to reject the development plan for the controversial asylum center. They want to hold a vigil in front of the town hall to increase the pressure on the decision-makers. In the background is not only the construction of the center, but also the fear of possible rejecting practices that could violate applicable EU law and human rights requirements. The Institute for Human Rights points out that permanent rejections of asylum seekers are inadmissible, which further heats up the discussion about the center.

The federal government has already announced the plan to rent office space in the new center. According to various reports, the criticism of the project's lack of public tender cannot be dismissed either. The planned center could not only be a place for entry and exit, but also reignite the debate about the humanitarian treatment of migrants.

The situation at BER Airport is therefore not just a question of construction policy, but also raises deeper ethical and legal questions. The protests show that the issues of asylum and migration remain highly topical and emotionally charged. The initiative not only calls for a halt to construction, but also for a rethinking of the asylum procedures in Germany in order to protect the rights of migrants.