Saturday 26 / April / 2025
Thousands of people took to Germany's streets on Friday in the northwestern city of Oldenburg in the state of Lower Saxony and elsewhere, protesting against the fatal police shooting of a Black man last weekend.
A 21-year-old Black man, identified only as Lorenz A. due to the country's strict privacy laws, died of wounds sustained after being shot by a police officer following an altercation outside a nightclub on Sunday.
His death has caused nationwide condemnation and anger, with protesters decrying what they say is structural racism within the police.
What do we know about the man's death?
Police say the 21-year-old deceased started spraying the Oldenburg nightclub's security staff with pepper spray after being denied entry in the early hours of Sunday, causing minor injuries.
He ran off after also allegedly threatening those who tried to chase him with a knife.
Chased by a patrol car, the man proceeded to "approach them [police personnel] menacingly" and spray them with pepper spray. A 27-year-old police officer then shot him.
Lorenz A. was taken to the hospital, where he died due to his wounds. A coroner's examination found three gunshot wounds: one in the back of his head, another in his upper body and a third in his hip. The report said the three bullets hit him from behind. A fourth shot grazed his hip.
The officer who shot him has been suspended from duty pending a homicide investigation.
What happened at the Friday protest?
Some 8,000 to 10,000 protesters gathered in Oldenburg on Friday, calling for a full investigation into the young man's shooting and death.
The protest attracted participants of varying ages and ethnic backgrounds, who delivered emotional speeches paying tribute to Lorenz A. Smaller protests were also held in other cities across Germany, including the capital, Berlin.
Many taking part in the Oldenburg protest argued that the shooting had a racist motive.
"Several shots from behind cannot be justified," Suraj Mailitafi, spokesperson for the Oldenburg-based initiative Justice for Lorenz, was quoted by the German DPA news agency as saying ahead of the protests.
"No one deserves to become a victim of police violence. The police should de-escalate situations. Trust in an institution that is supposed to protect us is at stake," Mailitafi added.
Police Vice President Arne Schmidt, the head of operations during Friday's protest, said Lorenz A.'s death "has deeply moved many people, including within the police force."
Deadly police shootings are relatively rare in Germany. The incident, therefore, drew criticism from rights groups, with Amnesty International Germany calling for addressing structural racism within the police force.
