German government bans Hamas flag

Germany's Bundestag lower house of parliament passed a law on Friday outlawing symbols of groups designated as "terrorist organisations" by the EU, including the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.  

The new law, which must still be approved by the Bundesrat upper house, also bans symbols of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies.

Previously, only symbols of organisations banned by Germany had been prohibited.

The move comes after several pro-Palestine rallies in Germany during the violent bombardment of Gaza Strip by Israel in May.

The demonstrations and show of Palestinian solidarity, after the bombardment killed over 260 Palestinians, including 67 children, were deemed "anti-Semitic" by some German politicians.

Thorsten Frei, a lawmaker for Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU, told Die Welt newspaper last week that the government wanted to ban the Hamas flag in response to the demonstrations.

"We do not want the flags of terrorist organisations to be waved on German soil," he said, adding that a ban would send "a clear signal to our Jewish citizens".

Germany saw several demonstrations during 11 days of Israel's intense bombing of the besieged enclave, with protesters shouting burning Israeli flags.

At one protest in Berlin, 59 people were arrested and dozens of police officers injured as protesters threw stones, bottles and fireworks.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Germany would crack down hard on anyone found to be spreading "anti-Semitic hatred". 

"We will not tolerate Israeli flags burning on German soil," he told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.