Over a dozen students walked out of a mandatory safety training at NYU Berlin when a local police officer reportedly advised against the use of pro-Palestinian phrases and spread racially stereotyped imagery, an incident university administrators attributed to the officer’s language barrier.

Administrators at the study away site invited Koray Egeli, a chief inspector and spokesperson from the anti-discrimination unit of the Berlin police department, to speak to students last month at the semesterly event “Staying Safe in Berlin, Germany, and Beyond.” According to a student familiar with the matter, who spoke to WSN anonymously out of fear of retaliation, when attendees asked what constitutes acceptable protest speech, Egeli — who investigates Islamophobic and anti-Black hate crimes — said that they are prohibited from saying “from the river to the sea,” a common phrase used in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, because it is deemed antisemitic by the German government. 

Attendees also asked if neo-Nazi sentiments are a protected form of speech, to which Egeli reportedly responded that they “have to understand neo-Nazis’ expression of free speech.” Partway through the session, one student stood up and claimed that Egeli was spreading propaganda, calling him representative of a larger pattern of discrimination in the police force. 

NYU Berlin Director Gabriella Etmektsoglou wrote in a statement to WSN that Egeli tried to explain free speech law within the historical context of Nazi Germany, but struck students as “abrasive” due to his English language barrier. She said that administrators have discussed the matter with Egeli, who “regrets that his tone caused some concerns.” 

“The views and perspectives of Mr. Egeli reflect those of his office and role, not of NYU Berlin,” Etmektsoglou wrote in a separate email to students the next day. “While we stand by the anti-racist mission of the task force, it is clear that this office is not ready to engage in the kind of dialogue we wish to foster on our campus.”

Etmektsoglou told WSN that NYU Berlin is working on restructuring the sessions and that she does not anticipate future participation of local law enforcement.

In the email, Etmektsoglou acknowledged the discomfort that prompted students to “respectfully step out” and encouraged them to submit feedback regarding the session. 

The anonymous student also said that former students raised similar concerns about Egeli, though Etmektsoglou refuted the allegation. Toward the beginning of his presentation, Egeli reportedly showed students a picture of himself dressed as a drug dealer as part of an undercover operation, likening his appearance to a “gangster, like Nelly.”

In 2022, several Black students studying abroad at NYU Berlin ended their stay early after experiencing racism on and off campus. One student, Naomi Thompkins, reported several instances of racial discrimination by campus security officers to Etmektsoglou. Despite meeting with administrators, Thompkins said she saw no change. 

“There’s a rise in right-wing rhetoric here in Berlin — the same rhetoric that is coming from the Republican party in the U.S.,” the anonymous student said. “I felt I couldn’t trust a lot of NYU staff faculty afterwards.”

Two weeks after the training, administrators met with a few participants, who called for bolstered support for Muslim students and mental health services on site. The site currently has one on-campus therapist for all students.

In August 2024, a German court fined a pro-Palestinian protester for chanting “from the river to the sea,” claiming that the phrase is a “Hamas slogan” and a “denial of Israel’s right to exist.” Under the principle known as Staatsräson, or reason of state, the German government has supported Israel’s sovereignty since the Holocaust.

“The department thinks it is valuable and worthwhile for its officers to participate in sessions to acquaint students studying away in our country with our laws,” Egeli said in a statement to WSN. “We do this in a spirit of engagement, and in hopes that the students will better understand our country, enjoy their time here, and stay safe.”

Contact Leena Ahmed and Amanda Chen at [email protected].