Law enforcement action - Increased safety measures for the Ukraine reconstruction conference.
The Ukraine reconstruction conference scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Berlin will require a high level of security in the city. Berlin residents can expect considerable traffic disruptions as a result. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, and Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor (SPD), are set to open the conference at the CityCube congress center on the exhibition grounds in Charlottenburg. Zelenskyy will also deliver a speech in the Bundestag on Tuesday. Multiple high-ranking politicians, including several heads of government, are anticipated to attend.
To ensure security at the conference venue and the hotels where the most significant political figures are staying, the police will have to secure these areas on Tuesday and Wednesday. Furthermore, the routes between the airport in southeastern Berlin, the congress center in the west, the government district, and the hotels in the city center will be safeguarded. With the numerous road closures due to the fan zones for the European Football Championship, additional streets, and potentially the city's outer highway, may be affected.
The airspace is being monitored, buildings are being searched by swine sniffer dogs for explosives, sharpshooters are on standby, and special operations units (SEK) are prepared. The specific number of police officers involved will only be revealed shortly before the event.
In a recent statement, Police President Barbara Slowik mentioned that with the Ukraine conference and the two-day European Football Championship commencing two days later, this is one of the largest deployments in recent times. "Over the course of my six years in office, I've never encountered a situation as tense as the one we're in now." The Berlin Police Department will require all hundred available units, with some leaves cancelled as well. They also rely on support from other federal states - however, these are also necessary for the EM.
Regarding the European Football Championship, which kicks off on the upcoming Friday, the Police Department is already in the middle of intense security measures. On Monday, experts with sniffer dogs will check the Olympic Stadium for potential explosives or other hazardous materials. Afterward, the facility will be handed over to UEFA, the organizer. Tuesday will see an extensive search of the fan zones at the Brandenburg Gate and in front of the Reichstag.
During matches featuring Germany's participation and during games at Berlin, more than 2000 police officers will be on duty. On the day of the final in Berlin on July 14th, between 3000 and 4000 police officers will be on standby. In addition to standard measures, a modern technical drone defense, barrier poles, fences, facial recognition systems, interpreters, and other specialists will be deployed.
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- In the midst of these major events, the Police operation in Charlottenburg, Berlin, will be a significant test for the city's internal security forces.
- President Volodymyr Selensky's visit and the large-scale conference are reasons why Germany, under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has directed enhanced security resources towards the city.
- The Police operation for the Ukraine reconstruction conference and the European Football Championship will require a unified front between Berlin's police forces and their counterparts from other federal states.
- In the midst of the war in Ukraine, the focus on Berlin's internal security highlights a deterioration in overall security level across Europe.
- The police chief has stated that the concurrent Ukraine conference and European Football Championship present one of the most challenging times in recent years for Berlin's internal security operations.
- Acknowledging the potential dangers in the political climate, representatives from the SPD in the Bundestag are advocating for additional funds to support the Police operation in Berlin centered around the Ukraine reconstruction conference.
