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From the point of view of the council chairman of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), the debate about an anti-fascist flag on the church-supported refugee rescue ship "Sea-Watch 4" hides the goals of the aid organization.
"I would expressly welcome it if the flag was brought down as soon as possible, as the discussion about this is making the actual concerns of the sea rescuers increasingly invisible," said Heinrich Bedford-Strohm of the Evangelical Press Service (epd).
Criticism of the flag had grown louder in the past few days.
Almost two weeks ago, the Sea-Watch organization deliberately placed the flag even more prominently than before on the ship: “Due to the mood of AfD and other rights against an anti-fascist flag on our bow, we decided to remove it.
It is now hanging a little more visible.
You're welcome, ”said a tweet on Twitter on April 8, on which the flag can be seen waving on a pole.
Criticism came in particular from the CDU
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In the past few days, several CDU members of the Bundestag had criticized the flag.
Bedford-Strohm told the epd: “As the EKD we have a crystal clear position for the protection of human life and for nonviolence.
Wherever people use or call for violence under the label of anti-fascism, it makes me angry.
For me it has nothing to do with real anti-fascism. "
Mathias Middelberg (CDU), domestic policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, had previously told WELT: "The fact that the Antifa flag is affixed to the 'Sea-Watch 4', financed by church donations, unfortunately gives a deep insight".
The "Sea-Watch 4" and its crew saved human lives.
This means that they are recognizable in the service of charity and human rights.
The ship was sent to the Mediterranean last year with the help of church donations to rescue refugees. The operator is the Berlin association Sea-Watch, founded in 2015.