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British journalist Nicholas Potter, a writer for the German daily Die Tageszeitung, published an article on March 9 opposing the characterization of the war in Gaza as "genocide." The piece incited outrage among the newspaper’s readership, most of whom align with the left-wing of German politics and harbor considerable hostility toward Israel alongside strong sympathy for Palestinians.
The article garnered so much hatred and vitriol, that it had its comment section closed shortly after publication. Two days later, the newspaper’s editors issued a statement condemning the violent harassment directed at Potter — both online and on the streets of Berlin — and expressing their support for him. Potter, who primarily writes about antisemitism, racism and the rise of the far-right, has faced escalating attacks.
In their statement, editors specifically referenced Israel’s war in Gaza and its coverage in the media. However, the seeds of the "intifada" against Potter — who has written for outlets such as The Guardian and Haaretz and co-authored a book with Stephan Laufer on antisemitism in countercultures — were sown months prior when he published an investigative piece on a different topic: portals disseminating anti-Western propaganda funded by Russia.
In mid-October, Potter published a report on a Berlin-based portal called Red, which has been rapidly gaining traction. The site, which identifies with resistance movements and aligns with the left, has been anti-Israel from its inception—a stance that intensified following the October 7 massacre. According to Potter, the site and its writers published materials from violent pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses, often from locations inaccessible to other media outlets.
When Greta Thunberg arrived in Berlin on the anniversary of the terror attack to join protests under the slogan "Glory to Resistance," she gave an interview to the portal, which garnered 360,000 views on the X platform. The portal also conducted interviews with Hezbollah and Houthi terrorists, some of whom marked the anniversary of the massacre by discussing "breaking out of the Gaza prison."
Potter’s investigation revealed that "Red" is part of the Kremlin’s propaganda apparatus, a successor to "Redfish," which was shut down after its ties to Moscow were uncovered. The portal’s aim, Potter noted, is to destabilize the West by spreading disinformation. He also found that the Berlin-based portal was registered under shell companies in Istanbul, likely to evade sanctions against Russia.
In response to the investigation, "Red" issued a statement, concluding with the declaration: "Palestine will be free — from the river to the sea." In December, Potter published an article in the Jerusalem Post on "Red" and other far-left sites that benefit from Russian or Iranian support and frequently publish anti-Israel content, including antisemitic conspiracy theories.
"I’ve been a target of pro-Palestinian activists for years now, both online and in real life," Potter told Ynet. "These attacks go far beyond legitimate criticism of a journalist. They include defamation, insults and threats. My book about antisemitism in progressive countercultures was published a month before October 7. Some of the readings and discussions about it, which I held alongside my co-author, were disrupted by protesters and required police protection."
In mid-December, "Red" launched a smear campaign against Potter, labeling him a "genocide supporter, Zionist, and part of the pro-Israel propaganda machine." The portal also highlighted Potter’s participation in German journalist exchange program (Kremer-Kollek) hosted in Israel at the Jerusalem Post, framing it as proof that he was a "recruited" journalist. (Potter stayed in Israel from November to February and was part of the international journalist program in December and January.)
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Pro-Israeli demonstration in Berllin
(Video: Reuters)
This campaign, coupled with the fact that Potter, a left-leaning journalist, criticized parts of the left and the antisemitism it masks, quickly turned him from an online target into a real-life one. Stickers featuring his image and the caption "German son of a bitch" were plastered across many public places in Berlin, and in extreme cases, even death threats were made against him.
"Since December, the attacks have become much more intense after I published the investigation into 'Red,' its support for Palestinian terror groups, its murky financial sources, and its ties to Russian propaganda," Potter explained. "Many pro-Palestinian activists amplified the campaign, claiming that I’m so good at 'genocide propaganda' that even Israel hired me, when the truth is that I stayed there in January-February as part of an international journalist exchange program. Shortly afterward, the stickers started appearing."
"I write very critically about Netanyahu, his attacks on the judiciary and the media, his right-wing coalition, and the heavy-handedness in Gaza," he added, "but I oppose calling the war 'genocide,' as I believe such terminology stems from antisemitism. I also write extensively about the rise of antisemitism since October 7."
According to the German Journalists' Association, there were 118 recorded attacks on journalists at protests in the past year, 66 of them at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Germany. Reporters Without Borders states that such demonstrations have surpassed right-wing protests in terms of violent incidents and assaults against journalists. This month, two Jewish journalists and two others were attacked — one of them had hot tea poured on his head — during an anti-Israel protest in Berlin.
In January, a television reporter was assaulted at an anti-Israel protest in Leipzig, sustaining a head injury that required hospitalization. Earlier, in July, two pro-Palestinian protesters followed an Iranian journalist in Berlin to his home and threatened him with a knife. This is just a small sample of the violence from the radical pro-Palestinian left against anything perceived as pro-Israel or Jewish, regardless of reality. Berlin, supposedly a bastion of liberalism and diverse opinions, has become a hub for toxic incitement, hate campaigns and slander against journalists.
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Greta Thunberg embracing the Palestinian narrative
(Photo: Asatur Yesayants / Shutterstock.com)
"This is shameful and unacceptable," Potter stated. "This is an attack, mainly by anti-Israel campaigners, on press freedom and democracy itself. We must not allow radical activists to intimidate journalists through defamation, threats, and even physical violence. Until now, these were things I had only witnessed from the far-right or antisemitic conspiracy groups. The left is becoming increasingly authoritarian. They not only support Islamic terror groups like Hamas but also attack the pillars of democracy and are willing to collaborate with propaganda outlets funded by Russia, Qatar, or Turkey to achieve their goals."
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"The case of Nicholas Potter serves as a warning that radical groups are attempting to undermine the press," the Central Council of Jews in Germany stated. "We know Nicholas Potter as a courageous journalist who is only interested in uncovering the truth. Anyone who threatens or slanders him cannot argue with him. As a society, we must not allow this."
"I have no problem with objective criticism," Potter said, "but this campaign deeply concerns me. It brands me as an enemy against whom all means are justified. When an incitement campaign starts, it only takes one person to decide to act on it. While many people support me in countering this campaign, there are quite a few activists, especially from the aggressive anti-Israel and anti-imperialism factions, who try to justify these attacks and make them seem legitimate."
Many journalists in Germany have decided to stop covering pro-Palestinian demonstrations out of fear of retaliation and being labeled as enemies. Lists of "enemy" journalists are circulating in Berlin. This marks the beginning of an anti-democratic and antisemitic spiral disguised as liberal democracy.
On Tuesday, Potter published an article in Die Tageszeitung titled "Intifada Against the Media." One of his critics was an Israeli affiliated with the German left. "I thought about taking a break from writing about antisemitism and Israel," said Potter, "but I think that sends a dangerous message. I won’t let them threaten me or press freedom. But, of course, it affects my private life when you see colleagues attacked or hear that there’s a list with names and addresses of journalists the activists dislike."