"Görli fence-free" alliance: "Megaschiss in front of the fence"
According to residents, the planned fence around Görlitzer Park in Berlin-Kreuzberg will make the problems with homeless people and drugs in the surrounding neighborhoods even worse. "The fence will lead to displacement and aggravation," said social worker Juri Schaffranek from the "Görli zaunfrei" alliance on Tuesday. Monika Obrecht from the neighborhood said: "We residents are really scared of the fence. It's all going to get worse." The fence around the park announced by the Senate is a "sham measure" that does not solve any problems and is of no use against impoverishment, drug dealing and crime in the side streets.
In the discussion about safety in the park and the surrounding area, the alliance of neighborhood initiatives wants more social workers to look after drug addicts and the homeless, more shelters for the homeless, free medical help and so-called drug consumption rooms that are open day and night. Instead of building a fence, the park needs to be opened up more at its edges, larger entrances, circular paths and more revitalization through sports activities, lighting and gastronomic offerings.
Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) and Senator of the Interior Iris Spranger (SPD) had announced that the wall around the park would be torn down and replaced by a fence with entrance gates at the beginning of 2024. The gates can then be locked at night. The debate about security in the park had flared up again after a young woman was raped by several men in June.
The Senators in the Berlin Senate are facing criticism for their plan to construct a fence around Görlitzer Park, as the alliance "Görli fence-free" argues that it will exacerbate issues related to homelessness and crime. The fence, advocated as a safety measure, has been labeled as a "sham" by the alliance, claiming it fails to address the root causes of problems such as drug dealing and impoverishment in the area.
Source: www.dpa.com
