Crimes feared at New Year's Eve demo: First riots

Police - Crimes feared at New Year's Eve demo: First riots

In view of the tense situation at the turn of the year, the Berlin police have banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin-Neukölln that was planned for New Year's Eve. "Criminal acts are to be expected - in the vicinity of or from this gathering", said police chief Barbara Slowik on RBB-Inforadio on Saturday. The situation is emotional. An influx of rioters is to be expected who could use the gathering to commit crimes. No rally leader could keep such a development under control, which is why the police had banned the demonstration.

One of the largest New Year's Eve police operations

Following the riots and excesses at the turn of the year last year, the Berlin police are facing one of their largest New Year's Eve operations. According to Slowik, 3000 police officers from the capital and other federal states will be on the streets that night. A further 1000 officers are deployed in patrol cars and police stations. There are also 500 federal police officers at the train stations. The fire department and other aid organizations plan to deploy a total of more than 1,500 personnel.

Even from the police's point of view, riots cannot be completely prevented - but an escalation should be avoided. The district mayor of Berlin-Neukölln, Martin Hikel (SPD), therefore believes that the ban on the pro-Palestinian demonstration on New Year's Eve is the right decision, as he told RBB. Many of the previous gatherings had not been intended to express solidarity with Gaza, but had been used to riot.

According to the police, the demonstration entitled "No Celebration During Genocide" was scheduled to begin at 10.30 p.m. on Sunday evening at Richardplatz in Neukölln. The gathering was to end at 1.00 a.m. on New Year's Day at Sonnenallee and Hermannplatz. 100 participants were announced, but the police expected a much higher number.

Further demonstrations on New Year's Eve

According to the police, two further gatherings have also been registered for New Year's Eve in Neukölln, which a police spokeswoman said on Saturday could take place. Another pro-Palestinian demonstration has been announced for the afternoon, with 1000 participants expected according to the police. A demonstration in support of Israel is to take place in the evening with around 500 people.

According to the police, around 500 people took part in a pro-Palestinian rally in Charlottenburg on Saturday afternoon. The police were on site with around 240 officers. There were initially no incidents, said the police spokeswoman.

First riots and attacks

The first riots and attacks on emergency services were already a concern for the police before New Year's Eve. On Friday evening in Kreuzberg, for example, a group of around 20 people set off pyrotechnics without permission and went on the rampage. According to the police, the group consisted of young people who set off several fireworks near Mehringplatz.

A 14-year-old and other members of the group had also thrown two garbage cans and a shopping cart down the stairs to Hallesches Tor subway station. Garbage and another garbage can were set on fire. During his escape, the 14-year-old threw a chair at one of the police officers. During the later arrest, a group of people harassed the police. The group is now being investigated for breach of the peace, it was reported.

On Thursday evening, firefighters and other people were also shot at with fireworks, according to the police. This involved emergency services who were trying to extinguish a burning firework battery on Mehringplatz in Kreuzberg. At Oranienplatz, three young men are said to have fired pyrotechnics at a bus and passengers from a car. And in Charlottenburg, according to the police, young people set off fireworks and beat up passers-by who told them to stop banging.

Already injuries from firecrackers

There were also the first harbingers of the upcoming New Year at the accident hospital: "And so it starts even before it starts ... ", the hospital announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday. It has already had to treat two patients with serious firecracker injuries.

The hospital is significantly increasing its operating capacity on New Year's Eve, according to a spokesperson. "We assume that operations will be carried out continuously from 3.00 a.m. until late New Year's Eve," it said in advance.

RBB interview Press release Post UKB

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1. The pro-Palestinian demonstration planned for New Year's Eve in Berlin-Neukölln was expected to attract a large number of participants and potentially lead to criminal acts, according to the police.
2. Despite the large-scale operation, it was acknowledged by the police and Martin Hikel, the district mayor of Berlin-Neukölln, that riots cannot be completely prevented during New Year's Eve celebrations.
3. The banned demonstration titled "No Celebration During Genocide" was scheduled to take place at Richardplatz in Berlin-Neukölln and end at Sonnenallee and Hermannplatz.
4. Another pro-Palestinian gathering with 1000 participants was announced for the afternoon on New Year's Eve, alongside a demonstration in support of Israel with around 500 people.
5. Martin Hikel believed that the prohibition of the pro-Palestinian demonstration on New Year's Eve was the right decision, as many previous gatherings had been used as a platform for rioting rather than expressing solidarity with Gaza.
6. Pyrotechnics and attacks on emergency services were already a concern for the police before New Year's Eve, with incidents in Kreuzberg, Charlottenburg, and other parts of Berlin.
7. The fire department and other aid organizations in Berlin were preparing for a significant increase in their operational capacity on New Year's Eve, in anticipation of a higher number of injuries caused by fireworks.
8. Barbara Slowik, the police chief, stated on RBB-Inforadio that they were preparing for 3000 police officers from Berlin and other federal states to be deployed on New Year's Eve, with an additional 1000 officers in patrol cars and police stations.
9. Notably, a 14-year-old was among the members of a group that attacked police officers and set fire to garbage cans in Hallesches Tor subway station in Kreuzberg, while young people in Charlottenburg were reportedly setting off fireworks and assaulting passersby.

Source: www.stern.de