Police operation - Large-scale operation with water cannon: Eritrea festival peaceful
The police in Stuttgart attended an Eritrea festival on Saturday with a large contingent of officers, water cannons and an armored evacuation vehicle. According to the announcement poster, the event had been organized by the Eritrean Association for the Physically Disabled, which had invited people to a sports hall in the Zuffenhausen district. There was room for around 300 people - although fewer people came, the police said.
There were no incidents until the early evening. According to a spokesperson, checks of the visitors, which had already been announced by the police in advance, had not revealed any anomalies. Among other things, the officers had checked whether any participants had been banned from entering the country. A police spokeswoman said in the evening that the officers wanted to remain on site in unchanged numbers until the end of the event at around 11 pm.
The police had decided on a large-scale operation after massive riots broke out at a similar Eritrea festival in Stuttgart in September. Back then, officers had to defend an event organized by pro-regime Eritrea associations against violently rioting demonstrators. Participants at the event, who according to the police were close to the dictatorial regime in Africa, and police officers were attacked with batons, sticks, stones and bottles and at least 34 police officers were injured. More than 232 suspects were investigated. In July, there had already been riots at an Eritrea festival in the Hessian city of Giessen.
It was feared that the current event in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, which was organized as a charity festival, could also attract opponents of the African country's ruling government. This is because a large number of Eritrean associations in Germany are considered to be close to the government. However, a planned counter-demonstration by Eritrean opponents of the regime had previously been canceled.
The Eritrean Association for the Physically Disabled also organized an all-day indoor soccer tournament in the west of Stuttgart on Saturday, which had already started at 8 o'clock in the morning. According to the police, everything remained calm there too.
The increasingly violent clashes between opponents and supporters of the regime, including in Germany, are seen by experts as proxy wars: After 30 years of armed resistance, Eritrea separated from Ethiopia in 1993. Since then, it has been ruled by President Isaias Afewerki in a one-party dictatorship. Opposition is banned, and there is no constitution, separation of powers or elections. There is also a strict system of military service and forced labor, from which many people flee abroad. Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world. Due to political persecution and the human rights situation, deportations to Eritrea are currently not possible.
Faebook entry of the association on the tournament and the festival
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- Despite the large-scale police operation in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the Eritrea festival remained peaceful throughout the day.
- The operational force consisted of a large contingent of officers, water cannons, and an armored evacuation vehicle, prepared for potential disturbances.
- Despite fear of demonstrations against the Eritrean government, the planned counter-demonstration was canceled, and the indoor soccer tournament in Zuffenhausen proceeded without incident.
- The police operation was a response to the violent clashes that occurred during a similar Eritrea festival in Stuttgart earlier in the year, causing numerous injuries to officers and suspects.
- Eritrea, located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, has been ruled by President Isaias Afewerki since its separation from Ethiopia in 1993, where opposition is banned and human rights are severely violated.
- Due to these issues, there are concerns about criminality and protests in Germany related to Eritrea, but the charity festival in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen remained peaceful.
- Following the festival, the police would release a report on the operation, including any clearance of vehicles required during the large-scale deployment in Zuffenhausen.
Source: www.stern.de
