In the German capital Berlin, New Year’s Eve celebrations witnessed unfortunate riots and clashes, leading to the arrest of approximately 430 people and the injury of 35 security personnel, according to an official police statement.
The report indicated that two of the injured police officers were taken to the hospital for treatment, explaining that 22 of the injured officers suffered injuries as a result of the use of fireworks and firecrackers.
The police announced the deployment of approximately 3,200 additional security personnel in the city to ensure the safety of citizens, in addition to support from other forces from various German states.
The police stated that they had opened approximately 800 preliminary investigations, most of which focus on violations of “weapons and explosives laws, resistance during arrest, arson, bodily harm, disturbing public order, in addition to assaulting police officers.” Furthermore, 14 people were placed in “preventative detention” to prevent further violations.
During New Year’s Eve, sporadic incidents of violence occurred, as police officers were attacked with bottles and fireworks, especially during a demonstration organized by the “radical left” under the slogan “New Year in prison” in the Moabit district, where about 500 people rioted in the streets. The police stated that the attacks with fireworks were so intense that firefighters had to use water hoses to extinguish the fires, in conjunction with an intensive security intervention that included specific arrests and the use of force to control the situation.
In the Kreuzberg district, about 150 people, after midnight, threw bottles and fireworks at the police. At approximately “00:20 local time,” a police car in the Mitte area was pelted with stones and fireworks.
The riots resulted in 47 fires breaking out in various vehicles, including four motorcycles, which firefighting teams managed to control.
According to the police report, a total of “2340 incidents” were recorded that required police intervention in Berlin between “18:00 and 06:00 the next morning”, compared to “2168 incidents” during last New Year’s Eve.
