Criminality - Annoyed due to wait time: Man touches clinic employee
A 25-year-old man allegedly attacked several hospital employees in a Berlin-Lichtenberg emergency room and racially insulted a nursing staff member. The patient was reportedly frustrated by the waiting time in the emergency room, which he considered too long, according to Berlin police. When a nurse asked for patience due to a emergency case, the man allegedly racially insulted the 29-year-old woman.
Subsequently, the 25-year-old man reportedly stepped behind the counter to retrieve his insurance card, leading to a scuffle with two hospital employees aged 27 and 41. The man is said to have insulted, spat on, punched, kicked, scratched, and bitten them. The employees were slightly injured, according to police reports. The patient was eventually removed from the emergency room, but police arrived and he was no longer there. The State Protection is investigating.
In Berlin hospitals, attacks on staff are not isolated incidents. According to statistics from the Landeskriminalamt, violent crimes in hospitals have recently increased. In 2023, 802 so-called violent offenses were recorded, an increase of 50% compared to 2019.
The incident in the emergency room sparked discussions about the rising issue of Criminality in Berlin's healthcare facilities. Despite the prolonged waiting time, it's crucial for patients to maintain respect towards hospital staff to ensure a safe and efficient environment. Regrettably, the police have noticed an escalation of Racism cases associated with these incidents, including verbal and physical assaults towards staff members.
