On 25 September, an alliance of Women in Exile and Friends, Seebrücke Potsdam, Nein zur Bezahlkarte, We’ll Come United, the Protestant Church of Potsdam, and individuals opposed to the Bezahlkarte payment card took to the streets in Potsdam and Berlin. Under the slogan “Solidarity, not Bezahlkarte!”, they called for the abolition of the payment card.

The demonstration began at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Brandenburg State Parliament in Potsdam. After a series of powerful speeches, the petition against the Bezahlkarte was formally handed over to the Vice President of the Brandenburg State Parliament and the Petitions Committee.

From there, participants travelled to Berlin, where they continued the protest with a march to the office of Publk GmbH at Knesebeckstr. 58, arriving at 2:30 p.m.

The protest was directed at the authorities responsible for implementing the Bezahlkarte system, which was costing significant amounts of public money. At the same time, the demonstrators protested against the private companies involved in the payment card system — Publk GmbH, Secupay AG and Visa — which were making money from its implementation.

For those affected, the reality of the Bezahlkarte became apparent as soon as they were transferred from an initial reception centre — in this case, Eisenhüttenstadt. The same was true for people who had previously received basic financial support from the state directly into their bank accounts and were suddenly issued a Bezahlkarte instead.

The introduction of the payment card therefore represented a significant change in how people could access and use their financial support. The demonstration brought these experiences into the public space, connecting people directly affected by the Bezahlkarte with supporters and organisations calling for its abolition.

With the slogan “Solidarity, not Bezahlkarte!”, the protesters made clear that their opposition was not only about the payment card itself, but also about the broader treatment of people seeking protection and receiving social support.

When V. was transferred to a collective accommodation from the reception centre, she was issued with a payment card: “The true cruelty of the Bezahlkarte hit me during my very first month after I was transferred from the first reception camp of Eisenhüttenstadt.  I was, from the €455 which were deposited from the social welfare office, permitted to withdraw just so little cash from my “account”. This created a constant, heavy anxiety [in me]. It was deeply humiliating to be cut off from everyday life, [as I no longer had the] freedom of deciding how I could manage this money.

The nightmare of being unable to buy fresh food at a street market, join colleagues for a cheap cup of coffee, or handle a minor emergency. I felt the system had reduced me from a human to a card number, replacing dignity with forced isolation.

Looking back, receiving my €181 in cash at the lager [I lived in] before, felt completely different. The shift to the Bezahlkarte happened with no explanation as to why my access to cash would be practically cut off. It is heartbreaking to see €455 deposited into my “account”, but not allowed to use them as i want.

Using a payment card at the supermarket can [also] be stressful. The cashier and others are aware that this is not an ordinary bank card, and I feel caught up in a system that treats me differently. The environment feels cold and using that card makes me feel stigmatized, causing immense stress and frustration.”

And from L.: “I received my payment card in March 2025 and was shocked. There was no opportunity to appeal or ask questions. The transition was not smooth. It is illogical to put money on a card and then decide how that person is allowed to spend it. Having money without the freedom to choose how to use it is pointless.

The card is not issued to everyone. I don’t know the criteria, and some Landkreise [districts] still don’t have them. People there still get their money into their bank accounts. This makes the system seem unfair and raises questions about equal treatment. I feel the card is meant to frustrate, disappoint and humiliate. There’s nothing good about it.”