A twisted ankle and eyes full of pepper spray: A day in the life of the ‘protest paramedics’

Demonstrations are an important part of democracy and are enshrined in Germany’s constitution. Article 8 states: “All Germans shall have the right to gather peacefully and unarmed without prior notification or [requesting] permission.”

In 2024, hundreds of thousands of people in Germany have taken to the streets in opposition of right-wing extremism. So many people coming together in one place can easily lead to accidents, injuries and even major emergencies. For Peer Vlatten, 33, one thing is certain: “It’s imperative for a first-aid service to be in attendance at [such an] event.”

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First-aid services are not a legal requirement at protest gatherings – however, the potential danger remains. This is where Vlatten comes in. He is chairman for the ‘protest paramedics’ or, more precisely, the Süd-West medical group. The protest paramedics are medically trained volunteers who attend demonstrations and non-commercial cultural events for free or, where organisers can afford it, a small contribution. There are currently several such groups in Germany.

Most demonstrations are peaceful but demand for the protest paramedics’ services skyrocketed in 2024, almost doubling compared to 2023. They cover two to four events per month across the region.

Vlatten has been a part of Süd-West since 2011. The protest paramedics are based out of two rooms in the basement of an old building in Stuttgart. Steel toecap boots in all sizes, helmets, bright red clothing and, most importantly, diversely equipped kit bags are stored there. Depending on their contents, the bags weigh between 15-30kg.

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“It’s the oxygen tanks in particular that make them so heavy, but they have to be on-hand during every deployment. They can save lives in the case of an allergic reaction to an insect bite, for example,” says Vlatten, who is a doctor outside of his volunteering.

Why does he also practise medicine in his spare time? “I believe that a good community is built on active citizens. I would also like to play a part and doing something I’m already very familiar with is arguably the most effective way,” he says.

There are currently around 40 active protest paramedics. Anyone can help, in principle, but volunteering requires that at least a crash course in medicine has been completed.

Paramedics can treat various types of wounds, conduct a pupil exam, measure blood pressure and resuscitate when necessary. “They do everything required to keep patients alive until the emergency services arrive,” Vlatten says.

One of the paramedics is Hanna Reber. She says that she takes something away from every event she attends. “Even when I’m on duty, the speeches and cultural contributions obviously don’t pass me by,” she says. “It means that I get to engage with topics that I maybe wouldn’t think about otherwise. It’s educational, and that’s good.”

Courtesy of Trott-war / INSP.ngo translated via Translators Without Borders.

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