Mass Protests Erupt in Germany After Police Shooting of Black Teen

An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 demonstrators flooded the streets of Oldenburg, with smaller solidarity protests breaking out in cities like Berlin. Protesters, cutting across race and age groups, demanded transparency, accountability, and an end to what many described as “structural racism” embedded within German policing institutions.

The killing of Lorenz A. has reignited a longstanding conversation in Germany about racial profiling, police brutality, and institutional racism — issues often minimized in the country’s mainstream political discourse.

The Fatal Night

According to official accounts, Lorenz A. had been denied entry into a nightclub early Sunday morning, leading him to allegedly spray security staff with pepper spray. Police claim he fled the scene and later threatened pursuing officers with a knife while again deploying pepper spray.

A 27-year-old officer reportedly fired four shots at Lorenz A., hitting him three times — in the back of the head, upper body, and hip — as confirmed by an autopsy report. A fourth bullet reportedly grazed his hip. Critically, all shots appeared to have struck him from behind, raising major questions about the proportionality and necessity of lethal force.

Lorenz was transported to a hospital but later died from his injuries.

The officer responsible has since been suspended pending a homicide investigation.

Outrage and Demands for Accountability

The protests in Oldenburg were emotional and determined. Activists like Suraj Mailitafi, who spoke passionately at the rally, emphasized that the shooting of Lorenz A. was not an isolated event but part of a larger pattern of racial discrimination and police violence.

"This is not just about Lorenz. This is about a system that treats Black bodies as threats," one protester said, holding a sign that read, "Justice for Lorenz."

Demonstrators demanded an independent inquiry free from police interference, calling for broader systemic reforms in German law enforcement practices, including mandatory body cameras, anti-racism training, and the establishment of independent oversight bodies.

A Growing Crisis of Trust

Lorenz A.'s death joins a growing list of incidents that have eroded public trust in German police, particularly among minority communities. Critics point out that despite Germany's global image as a liberal democracy, issues of racial bias and police violence remain deeply entrenched and largely under-addressed.

Advocacy groups have warned that unless substantial reforms are initiated, Germany risks fostering deeper societal divisions and unrest.

As investigations continue, Lorenz A.’s death serves as a grim reminder that for many Black Germans, structural inequalities and the threat of racialized violence remain a brutal reality.