2024-01-01 01:48:54
Peaceful celebrations in small circles, violent fireworks in squares and streets and also aggressive throwing of firecrackers and firing at other people – New Year’s Eve in Berlin once again revealed all aspects of the big city. According to the police, more than 230 arrests had been made in Berlin by around 2 a.m. on Monday, often involving dangerous shooting with illegal fireworks. In addition, 15 officers were injured, the police said via the online service X (formerly Twitter).
A spokeswoman said that firecrackers and rockets were fired at the police and fire brigade and also by people among themselves from time to time throughout the city. However, there were no particular local focuses. “Various attacks with pyrotechnics, blank shots and bottles on emergency and rescue workers” were reported, it said. Many very loud explosions also indicated illegal firecrackers. Shots from blank pistols were heard again and again.
Police: 99.9 percent of people celebrate peacefully
Berlin’s Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) and Police President Barbara Slowik emphasized early in the evening that the majority of Berliners were celebrating peacefully, and that this applied to “99.9 percent of the people” in the city. Before New Year’s Eve, the police repeatedly stated that unfortunately not every riot could be prevented with fireworks in such a large city.
Near Alexanderplatz, large groups totaling around 500 people fired New Year’s Eve rockets at each other hours before midnight. Police officers dispersed the group and controlled it, it was said on the Internet portal X (formerly Twitter). The police were shot at with rockets or other pyrotechnics from a group of 200 people nearby.
Attacks on police
Suspects who had made Molotov cocktails were caught in Neukölln. The police reported that cars were also shot at several times, including police and emergency vehicles. “In Hermannstrasse, people are shooting rockets at our emergency services.” In the Gropiusstadt district, a parked police vehicle was badly damaged by the explosion of a bullet bomb.
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A total of almost 5,000 police officers were on duty that night to prevent similar riots and riots as last year: 3,500 police officers from several federal states were on duty on the streets. Especially in New Year’s Eve hot spots in previous years in Neukölln, Mitte and Schöneberg, the police were visibly positioned on the streets. There were also 1,000 police officers in patrol cars and stations as well as 500 federal police officers in and at the train stations. That was the largest police presence on New Year’s Eve in Berlin.
Police officers on duty in Berlin: Image: EPA
On New Year’s Eve 2022/2023 there were riots and attacks on police officers and rescue workers across the country; Berlin was particularly affected. This year, the police were additionally concerned about the Gaza war following the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas and the heated mood among parts of the Arab population in some parts of the city.
A pro-Palestinian demonstration late in the evening was therefore banned. Around 2,000 people took part in a demonstration in the afternoon. In the evening, the announced firecracker ban zone was set up in Sonnenallee. Despite a ban on a demonstration by Palestinian groups about the war in Gaza, people gathered before midnight and police intervened and prevented a larger gathering.
Wegner: Night of repression, if necessary
Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) announced earlier in the evening that the police would take tough action against riots and riots. A lot has been done in the area of prevention in the last few months, said Wegner during a visit to a police station in Neukölln. “And today is the night, if necessary, the night of repression where the rule of law will try to assert itself. And I’m also sure that he will prevail.”
Thousands of people celebrated at the traditional New Year’s Eve party at the Brandenburg Gate, accompanied by high security precautions. According to the organizers, 45,000 tickets had been sold by early evening and the party was designed for up to 65,000 people. The stage show was broadcast live on ZDF. For the first time since the corona pandemic there were fireworks.
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