Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has issued a detailed warning about the growing use of coded antisemitic symbols, slogans, and imagery within extremist pro-Palestinian activism, arguing that such messaging increasingly acts as a bridge between Islamist, far-left, and far-right movements, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, known as the BfV, published a new online guide on what it calls “secular pro-Palestinian extremism,” alongside an 80-page document examining hidden antisemitic codes and conspiracy imagery.
The agency describes the movement as ideologically diverse but united by hostility towards Israel and, increasingly, by antisemitic narratives that portray Jews or the Jewish state as a central global enemy.
Among the symbols highlighted by the BfV is the watermelon image, commonly used in pro-Palestinian activism because its colours mirror those of the Palestinian flag. The agency said that when the outline of Israel is replaced by a watermelon-coloured Palestinian map, it can function as a denial of Israel’s right to exist.
The report also identifies other symbols and slogans linked to extremist rhetoric, including Hamas’s inverted red triangle symbol and chants such as “From the river to the sea” and “Yalla yalla intifada.” While the BfV notes that some slogans can have multiple interpretations, it warns that they are frequently used in contexts advocating the elimination of Israel or glorifying violence.
Particular concern is directed at rhetoric such as “Baby killer Israel,” which the agency says draws on medieval blood libel accusations that falsely portrayed Jews as child murderers.
According to the BfV, extremist pro-Palestinian activism in Berlin has become increasingly radicalised, with demonstrations frequently involving aggressive behaviour, antisemitic slogans, prohibited symbols, and vandalism targeting Jewish or Israeli-linked sites.
The intelligence agency argues that antisemitism now functions as a “bridge phenomenon,” bringing together groups and individuals who would otherwise have little ideological overlap. It says hostility towards Jews and Israel has become a unifying factor connecting Islamist extremists, radical left-wing activists, and elements of the far right.
The accompanying report focuses heavily on coded language and indirect forms of antisemitism designed to avoid immediate detection. Examples include references to “globalists,” “high finance,” BlackRock, George Soros, and the Rothschild family, which the BfV says are often used as substitutes for conspiracy theories about Jewish financial control.
The report also identifies imagery associated with long-standing antisemitic myths, including puppet-master depictions, octopus imagery symbolising alleged Jewish world domination, and conspiracies surrounding the “Great Reset,” Freemasons, and occult child sacrifice narratives.
Another section examines what the BfV calls “Holocaust inversion,” including attempts to portray Germans or anti-vaccine activists as victims comparable to Holocaust victims, or to frame Holocaust remembrance itself as oppressive.
The agency warns that these codes are effective precisely because they are often subtle and easily overlooked by the general public. According to the report, such imagery and language can gradually normalise antisemitic thinking, emotionally condition audiences, dehumanise Jews, and ultimately lower barriers to verbal or physical violence.
The BfV stressed that context remains important and cautioned against automatically labelling every use of a symbol or phrase as antisemitic. However, it argued that repeated patterns and combinations of imagery often reveal extremist intent.
The publication forms part of Germany’s wider effort to address rising antisemitism following the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent increase in anti-Israel protests across the country. German authorities have repeatedly warned that extremist activism surrounding the conflict has contributed to growing hostility towards Jewish communities and Holocaust remembrance institutions.
The intelligence service concluded that antisemitic codes become especially dangerous when they spread unnoticed through mainstream society, arguing that public awareness and education are essential to protecting democratic values and preventing radicalisation.
Photo credit: Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution/ AI generated
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