Jena, April 20, 2014
We are a group of refugee activists from Schwäbisch Gmünd and we make sure no border can stop our activism.
On Thursday, 17 April 2014 about 17.00 hrs., while we were in the train in our way from Schwäbisch Gmünd to Jena to participate in a workshop and conference organized by Voice Refugee Forum in Thüringen, we were surprised and terrorized by two policemen as they came toward us and asked: where we were going? One of us answered: “We are going to Jena”. After they asked him for passport he asked them back: “Why?” They said: “We are Policemen and we are doing our duty to make control.” So he gave them his papers and after they saw it they said: “You are from Schwäbisch Gmünd in Baden Württemberg and you are not supposed to be here.” He replied: “Is here not a part of Germany?” They told him: “Yes, but with this ‘Duldung’, you are not supposed to be here.” He said: “I do not know, but I think this is Germany and I believe that I have freedom to move.” Then they left him and start to talk to the whole group and asking: “Are you all travelling together?” Us answering: “Yes we are travelling…all together.”
This was when they started to ask all of us for our “Ausweis”. We retreated them that ‘they should control all people around in the train and then we would then be ready to give our papers for control too.’ They repeated: “No, we are just doing our job and you have to show us your ‘Ausweis’”. This time we definitely decided to say “No”.
