Crime - Fewer crimes at the Kieler Woche
At the midpoint of the Kiel Week, police and the city have drawn a positive balance. The summer festival continued to run mostly peacefully with considerable visitor numbers, the police reported on Wednesday. Compared to last year, fewer offenses have been reported to the officers so far. From Friday afternoon to Wednesday morning, there were 80 offenses on the event grounds. In the previous year's period, it was 132.
The police recorded 44 so-called rough crime offenses (2023: 52), mainly on the late Saturday evening during the "Holstenbummel." Visitors resisted against police officers twice. Police officers were slightly injured in the process. The on-site teams issued warnings to approximately 40 people (35). Seven people were found helpless, but the evening did not end in police custody due to alcohol for any of them. Juvenile patrols specifically addressed children and adolescents about their alcohol consumption. "There were no remarkable incidents," reported the police.
The low incident numbers in all areas are positive, said Vanessa Vitsilakis, the deputy head of the Kiel Week office of the city. "Overall, the Kiel Week was particularly peaceful and carefree in the first half."
The city spoke of a peaceful and joyful Kiel Week without any exceptional police incidents. The paramedics treated people in 355 smaller cases, for example, with bandages (unchanged from the previous year), and 276 visitors received more intensive care (slight increase). Sixty people were taken to the hospital by the rescue service (unchanged high number).
According to earlier announcements by the city, the Kiel Week had been visited by approximately 1.1 million people in the first three days alone. The organizers expect a total of around three million guests by Sunday.
Press release of the Kiel city mayor regarding the police mid-term balance.
- Despite a few minor incidents, such as two instances of visitors resisting police officers, the overall atmosphere during Kiel Week's summer party in Schleswig-Holstein was generally peaceful and joyful, as reported by the city's police.
- The Police in Kiel during Kiel Week noted a significant decrease in criminal offenses compared to the previous year, with only 80 offenses reported during the event, compared to 132 in the same period the year before.
- The low number of reported crime incidents, including a decrease in 'rough crime offenses' from 52 to 44, was considered positive by Vanessa Vitsilakis, the deputy head of the Kiel Week office of the city.
- As Kiel Week progressed into its second half, the police in Schleswig-Holstein continued their mission of maintaining order and safety at the summer festival, with a focus on educating young visitors about responsible alcohol consumption during sailing events such as Kiel Week's Keel.
