Bottle throwing and pepper spray: the situation in Kreuzberg escalated
Updated on 05/01/2023 – 22:55Reading time: 7 min.
There were numerous demonstrations in Berlin on May 1st. But there is also potential for conflict afterwards. All developments in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
Which demonstrations are planned for May Day in Berlin? Will there be riots in the capital? You can read all developments in the t-online news blog.
10:20 p.m .: Further escalation in Kreuzberg
In Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg, there are repeated clashes between the police and Berlin night owls. t-online reporter Jannik Läkamp reports that police officers tried to clear part of the street and the situation then escalated again. The police use batons. He also got pepper spray.
Hundreds of people are still on site, but there are also an estimated hundred police forces. The crowd kept throwing bottles at the police.
9:38 p.m .: The police are chanting hate speech through the streets of Kreuzberg
The police are still roaming the streets of Berlin-Kreuzberg. A police spokesman has now confirmed that there have been several arrests. Meanwhile, a video made by our t-online reporter on Oranienstrasse shows how the emergency services are loudly spurned. “The whole of Berlin hates the police,” for example, can be clearly heard.
The police march through Oranienstrasse in Berlin, shouting abuse.
9:05 p.m.: Several arrests
As reported by the t-online reporter, police officers took several people away in handcuffs during the clashes. A police spokesman confirmed that there had been several arrests. But he couldn’t give an exact number yet.
The situation at Kottbusser Tor has apparently calmed down in the meantime. According to the reporter at the scene, there are still many police officers there, but only a few participants in the ended demonstration.
The police officers take one person away.
8:31 p.m .: In the video – argument between police and demonstrators
Many people are still gathered at the Kottbusser Tor. The local t-online reporter reports on clashes between demonstrators and police officers. There are always shoves. The police arrested at least one person. The reason for this is currently unclear.
Clashes between demonstrators and police.
8.10 p.m .: The organizer ends the demonstration
The organizers ended the demonstration early themselves. They justified this with the police presence, said a police spokeswoman. The demonstration was originally supposed to go as far as Oranienplatz.
In a tweet, the organizers wrote that the police at Oranienplatz had prepared a cauldron. “We will not run in there with 20,000 participants,” it said.
7.30 p.m .: Demo train passes controversial Kotti guard
The demonstration has now arrived in Kreuzberg. The march passed the controversial new police station at Kottbusser Tor. The t-online reporter reports of raised middle fingers and shouts like “murderers and fascists” and “No police station at Kotti”. A bottle was also thrown aside from the demo train.
7:17 p.m .: Police count 6,000 participants, organizer 20,000
As is so often the case, the information on the number of participants differed significantly. A police spokesman told t-online that 6,000 demonstrators are currently expected. However, the loudspeaker van at the demonstration announced that 20,000 people were on the streets.
The police spokesman said the demonstration had been mostly peaceful so far. Only a few pyrotechnics were ignited. The anti-Semitic slogans that are said to have been shouted by individual participants are currently being examined. The police announced on Twitter that an advertisement had been made.
