Emergency services brace themselves for New Year's Eve riots

Attacks on police and firefighters made headlines last New Year's Eve. The emergency services are also expecting riots at the turn of the year. In Berlin, the fire department believes it is prepared for an emergency. Nevertheless, the authorities ask for respect in a video.

The police union (GdP) is expecting renewed riots on New Year's Eve and is preparing for larger police operations. In many places, "massive attacks with firecrackers on other revelers, police officers and paramedics" are imminent, GdP boss Jochen Kopelke told the Rheinische Post newspaper. He called for consequences; society and politics must react.

"Why aren't politicians finally giving the police the legal means to consistently intervene against those involved in the violent excesses? And why haven't we had a ban on the sale of fireworks on New Year's Eve for a long time? Just like we do all year round," continued the GdP chairman.

"We must finally react to this"

"Ever since last year's violent excesses in Berlin, but also in numerous places in the Ruhr region and even in Bonn, which is actually a peaceful city, everyone knows that something has gone wrong in our society," Kopelke continued. "We must finally react to this." On New Year's Eve, the police will be on site at the hotspots with a "massive deployment of personnel" in order to prevent renewed outbreaks of violence like last year.

On New Year's Eve a year ago, emergency and rescue services were massively attacked in Berlin and other cities. In some cases, the police had to be deployed to protect firefighters from attacks. The quality of the attacks on emergency services last year was new, "for example when rescue workers were lured into suspected ambushes and attacked", said Berlin's police commissioner Barbara Slowik. Similar riots are feared this year. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser also recently warned that riots on New Year's Eve could be fueled by pro-Palestinian demonstrations in light of the war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas.

No-fire zones in Berlin

As a result of the riots in the German capital last year, Berlin is seeing its biggest police operation on New Year's Eve for decades. The fire department and police have been warning against the misuse of firecrackers and rockets with a joint video since Wednesday. "We are going into action together. So that you can celebrate New Year's Eve safely. And to help you if you need us," say a policewoman, a policeman and a firefighter in a video published on X. "Please respect our work. Give us enough space to do it. And follow our instructions," it continues. "Don't attack us. Don't shoot us with firecrackers, rockets or alarm guns. You are liable to prosecution and could face several years in prison."

In addition, the Berlin police have already pointed out no-fire zones on New Year's Eve. These are located at Alexanderplatz, in the Steinmetzkiez area in Schöneberg and on part of Sonnenallee and adjacent side streets. The ban applies from 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year's Day.

The Berlin fire department is also expecting new riots on New Year's Eve, but says it is prepared. "We can assume that there will be scenes like last year again," said fire department spokesman Vinzenz Kasch to Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb). However, he added that the fire department had prepared for this in consultation with the police and had improved its own procedures. "We assume that we are well prepared and that we can allow our colleagues to work safely," added Kasch. He did not want to comment on the details of the safety concept.