New Year’s mob attacks German police officers
“They wanted to kill us”
Chaos erupts in Berlin-Neukölln on New Year’s Eve. Several officers are attacked, now a police officer is talking about the attack.
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In Berlin-Neukölln there were targeted attacks on officials on New Year’s Eve.
Violence escalated in the German capital on New Year’s Eve. Hundreds of perpetrators attack the police in Berlin. At least 18 officers are injured, one seriously. One of the officials is now commenting on the attacks.
The policeman, who wants to remain anonymous, says to “Bild”: “This New Year’s Eve was a sad highlight: I had the feeling that they really wanted to hurt us badly or even kill us.”
“Aimed, shot from all sides”
According to the Berlin police, the attacks on the emergency services “cannot be compared in intensity with previous years”. More than 100 suspects were arrested in the violent excesses in Berlin alone.
The official, who spoke to the newspaper, speaks of chaos scenes and massive attacks. “Fireworks were aimed at us from all sides. Countless firecrackers flew, bottles and other objects, including iron bars. It was really bad.”
The situation also escalated in other German cities. But especially in Berlin-Neukölln there were attacks on officials.
103 men arrested
Police union president Rainer Wendt (66) says that very often heavily intoxicated or drunk young men play a dominant role. «Part of the work-up is the honest answer to questions like: Where do the chaotic people come from? Where do you live? Where does this anger and contempt for emergency services and the police come from?” he told Focus.
The German police union has the impression that “groups of young men with a migration background are far overrepresented in these riots,” says Wendt.
There is still no official evaluation of the origin of the alleged perpetrators on New Year’s Eve. Most of those arrested are men, five of the 103 people are women. (eu)
“We are scared”: Men harass young women during interview(00:43)