A large proportion of the perpetrators of the riots on New Year’s Eve in Berlin are still unknown. The police and public prosecutor are investigating on a large scale against unknown persons, said Senator for Justice Lena Kreck (left) on Wednesday in the legal committee of the House of Representatives. That means the police still have to try to identify any suspects at all.
Kreck went on to say that 33 investigations into the “excesses of violence” had now been handed over to the public prosecutor. At the beginning of January, the police spoke of almost 300 preliminary investigations. At the public prosecutor’s office, a special department is entrusted with cases that otherwise deal with acts of violence at major sporting events.
According to the police, there were 56 attacks on police officers and 69 on firefighters. 47 police officers and 15 firefighters were injured. 26 police cars and 11 fire engines were damaged in the riots.
A total of 145 suspects were arrested in connection with New Year’s Eve, mostly young men. There were 45 Germans and 17 other nationalities, including 27 Afghans and 21 Syrians. The police did not say how many of the Germans came from immigrant families. Only some of the suspects arrested are suspected of having been involved in the various riots. There were also many other crimes.
Neukölln’s district mayor: “Conditions similar to civil war”
At the beginning of January, the police spoke of 281 preliminary investigations. 89 cases involved violations of the weapons law, often shooting with blank pistols. There were also 47 cases of dangerous bodily harm, 41 times it was dangerous use of firecrackers and rockets, 35 attacks on and resistance to police officers, 21 cases of particularly serious breaches of the peace and frequent possession of drugs and other offences.
Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) said on the investigation that she would like to thank Attorney General Margarete Koppers for her statement that lawful prosecution requires clear evidence. “Bodycams make exactly this contribution. I expect my coalition partners to agree to an increase to around 4,000 bodycams – and as soon as possible.”
Neukölln’s district mayor Martin Hikel (SPD) had spoken of “civil war-like conditions” in the “Welt”. “We have areas where individual groups of men appear to be suffering from whatever or have been raised under misconceptions that they are compelled to become violent in this way.” (dpa)
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