German police filmed chasing scared child at protest

Police in Berlin are under fire after a video was shared of officers chasing a young boy at a protest. The footage, posted on Sunday, shows the child running from officers carrying a Palestine flag, with four officers eventually apprehending him on the steps of a building. The child appeared to be unharmed, but the video has drawn criticism over the apparent heavy-handedness of the police.

Viewers condemned the officers’ actions, with many asking why multiple officers were targeting a child for ‘carrying a flag.’ While some argued that the boy may have provoked the chase, commenters were in general agreement that the response was disproportionate.

The boy was ultimately detained in a police van, but Berlin police have claimed the detainment was ‘for his own protection,’ as he was at the protest unsupervised.