Riots at New Year’s Eve in Germany: Hundreds arrested, police officers injured, series of attacks on members of the emergency services
Last year’s scenario was repeated in Berlin when riots broke out in which rioters used firecrackers and rockets for fireworks. The Berlin police reported a series of attacks on members of the emergency services, as well as ordinary citizens.
At least 15 police officers were injured in firework attacks across the city, and around 300 rioters were arrested, many for violating the Explosives Act writes Bild.
Although the police identified Neukölln, one of Berlin’s 12 districts, as the biggest hotspot before the event, things turned out differently. The area in front of the Red Town Hall near Alexanderplatz became the site of mutual conflict.
About 500 people, mostly young people, attacked each other with firecrackers and rockets, which they fired directly into the crowd.
Police officers were also attacked, and several arrests were recorded. The police dispersed the group at the famous Neptune Fountain and started to check who owned the fireworks, after which a group of 200 people started shooting pyrotechnics at the police.
Fire in a retirement home
Under police protection, firefighters from Berlin extinguished a fire in a retirement home in Neukölln. Allegedly, the rocket flew in through the window. The rescuers took the resident wrapped in thermal blankets out of the building and treated the injured who had swallowed the smoke. At 2:15 a.m., pensioners from the upper floors could return to their rooms.
Hamburg police reported “normal New Year’s behavior” and stated that there were no incidents involving large groups. In Düsseldorf, the banks of the Rhine quickly emptied around 20 minutes after midnight. According to the police, “a lot was happening in Mainz – but nothing spectacular”, reports Index.
(Patria)