Berlin mayoral candidate Elif Eralp has accidentally shared private notes with a German newspaper that reveal her fears about supporters with ties to the Hamas terrorist group.
The documents, sent without removing annotations added by Eralp and her spokesperson, state: “Neither my husband nor I want to mention specific names; he is afraid of these people, and so am I.”
Eralp, a member of Germany’s Die Linke party and the candidate who could become Berlin’s first Turkish-descended mayor, has previously acknowledged in an interview that she was questioned about antisemitism among pro-Palestinian activists. During that exchange, she admitted she initially responded “yes” when asked if she was referring to Ibrahim Ibrahim—a named supporter—but later wanted to delete the answer.
The notes also reference advice from Berlin’s State Criminal Police Office (LKA) regarding naming individuals linked to organized crime: “The LKA said at the time that they recommend never naming specific individuals. Back then, it was about organized crime. Now it’s about people with connections to Hamas.”
Eralp has stated she fears for her safety due to these connections and has sought police protection during her party conference.