The Federal Ministry of the Interior wants to have a Germany-wide situation report created after the riots on New Year’s Eve. No figures have yet been received from some of the larger federal states, which is why this could take a few days, said the spokesman for the ministry, Maximilian Kall.
Deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner responded to the question of whether the riots should be a reason for a debate on integration policy: “The core of the debate that is at stake in this event on New Year’s Eve is not the so-called migration background or the demand for Firecrackers are banned.” Rather, this is about an “attack on the rule of law”. It was decided in the federal government to first clarify everything and then to express oneself and possibly draw conclusions.
On New Year’s Eve, there were numerous attacks on police officers, firefighters and rescue workers with fireworks in several cities in Germany, especially in Berlin, but also in Frankfurt (Oder). In Berlin, according to the fire brigade, some of the emergency services were deliberately lured into ambushes. Berlin’s governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) then called for a nationwide debate on the consequences.
Brandenburg sees no pressure to act
The state of Brandenburg meanwhile sees no unconditional pressure to act on bans on firecrackers, as Berlin wants to enforce in a Federal Council initiative. In 2020, the then young Kenya coalition of SPD, CDU and Greens in Potsdam signaled approval for Berlin’s push to tighten federal regulations.
Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD), previously Minister of the Interior, stands for law-and-order politics. “The events on New Year’s Eve on and in various places shocked us all. Anything that helps to avoid something like this in the future is good,” Brandenburg’s government spokesman Florian Engels told PNN and Tagesspiegel. Potsdam’s vote remains open, however, and approval seems likely.
The events on New Year’s Eve on and in various places shocked us all.
Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD)
When asked, Brandenburg’s Ministry of the Interior pointed out how clear the legal situation for firecrackers is. “Various legal bases allow local bans on the burning of pyrotechnic objects in Brandenburg,” said spokesman Martin Burmeister. There were no firecracker ban zones anywhere in the Mark at the turn of the year, as Berlin sometimes imposed them but was then hardly able to enforce them.
Ministry of the Interior refers to the legal situation
When asked, Brandenburg’s Ministry of the Interior pointed out how clear the legal situation for firecrackers is. “Various legal bases allow local bans on the burning of pyrotechnic objects in Brandenburg,” said spokesman Martin Burmeister. There were no firecracker ban zones anywhere in the Mark at the turn of the year, as Berlin sometimes imposed them but was then hardly able to enforce them.
Ministers from other federal states also reacted cautiously to negatively to Berlin’s proposal to give the municipalities more powers in setting up no-gun zones. “The discussion about fireworks ban zones or even general sales bans does not solve the actual problem: the increasing brutalization of rioters and the dwindling respect for police, fire brigade and emergency services,” said Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Hermann (CSU).
In response to the nationwide debate about the ban on firecrackers and attacks on emergency services, triggered by the incidents in Berlin, Giffey is planning a summit on youth violence. “We have to do two things: hold out your hand and stop signal,” she said.
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