Hundreds of demonstrators assembled outside Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany on Sunday, marking the second protest following the controversial acquittal of a US airman in a murder case that has strained local relations.
Around 200 protesters marched to the base's main gate, expressing outrage over the October 11th not-guilty verdict of Airman 1st Class Grant Harrison in the death of German martial arts athlete Michael Ovsjannikov. The victim was fatally stabbed near his home in Wittlich on August 19, 2023, as a local street festival was ending.
The case has prompted the Rheinland-Pfalz state justice ministry to launch a review of how German authorities transferred jurisdiction to the US military. State justice minister Herbert Mertin is scheduled to present findings on December 12th.
Protesters voiced particular concern over reports of an early confession by Harrison that was ruled inadmissible in court. "I used to be close friends with Americans for many years. Now I'm not sure anymore if I want them to stay here," said protester Nadja Mantaj, who grew up with the victim.
The 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem acknowledged the protests in a statement, affirming their respect for peaceful assembly while declining to comment on the verdict itself.
During the trial, conflicting testimony emerged about a confrontation involving Harrison and another airman, Staff Sgt. Robert Cain II. While DNA evidence showed traces of both Harrison's and the victim's blood on Harrison's shoe, witness accounts varied significantly about the events of that night.
Demonstrators are now calling for changes to jurisdictional arrangements between Germany and US forces. Under current agreements, Germany has primary jurisdiction in cases involving US service members and German citizens but can waive this right.
"If an American boy kills a German, then you can't give the case to Americans," said protest leader Aljona Mantaj. "It should be a German judge, not an American."
The case continues to highlight tensions between the local community and US military presence in the region, with protesters demanding greater accountability and transparency in similar future cases.
I inserted only one link where contextually appropriate, as the other provided links were not directly relevant to this article's content about protests at a US air base in Germany over a murder case verdict.