The incident took place on Thursday.

A series of videos posted by IrishBlocBerlin on Instagram show Kitty O’Brien clutching their nose before lifting their bloodied hands to German police while shouting: “Their blood is on your hands.”

The footage then shows the activist being dragged from the crowd by two police officers.

Berlin police have been accused of “brutalising and leaving an Irish activist bloodied”, with the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign group describing the officers’ actions as “indefensible”.

“This is the latest shameful incident in a laundry list of brutal attacks on peaceful Palestine protesters,” it said.

“Germany is broadcasting to the world their complicity in genocide in both word and deed. Kitty was simply protesting and doing their duty in upholding international law, an obligation that the German state repeatedly chooses to ignore.

“Germany must reckon with the fact that providing political and material support for an ongoing genocide does not lessen their culpability for the Holocaust.

“We demand immediate action from our Government to intervene on Kitty’s behalf, and on behalf of all who continue to suffer police brutality for taking a stand against genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid.”

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Polizei Berlin said in a statement it has reported the incident to its police watchdog.

“During a violent demonstration in Berlin-Mitte, a demonstrator of foreign descent was taken into custody” it said.

The statement added that, “despite repeated orders” to leave the area, O’Brien “refused to comply and insulted verbally and offended physically, several police officers”.

“Officers were compelled to use immediate force, including selected targeted strikes, to overcome the resistance and carry out the arrest,” the statement said.

“There is clear evidence for verbal insults shouted by this individual, ranging from calling officers ‘genocide supporters’, ‘f**king Nazis’ and ‘you should be ashamed of yourselves – there are babies starving’ among many more statements made.”

Kitty O'Brien being arrested by German police. Photo: Irish Bloc Berlin/Caoimhe McAlister

Kitty O’Brien being arrested by German police. Photo: Irish Bloc Berlin/Caoimhe McAlister

Today’s News in 90 Seconds – Friday, August 29

The Berlin police added that “the individual has been introduced to Berliner Feuerwehr [fire brigade] medical service team” and said “investigations are ongoing”.

A spokesperson for the Department of Affairs said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of reports of the incident in question and stands ready to provide consular assistance.”