There was great concern that New Year’s Eve could become violent again. The focus was on Berlin. On New Year’s Day, the police in the German capital reported that the concept with no-gun zones and pre-defined hotspot areas had worked.
The significantly increased police presence in the city area has led to more arrests. Thousands of police officers were on duty. According to the latest figures, around 390 people were temporarily arrested in Berlin on New Year’s Eve – many for violations of the Weapons and Explosives Act.
After a terror warning, the police presence at Cologne Cathedral was also increasedImage: Thomas Banneyer/dpa/picture alliance
A spokeswoman said on New Year’s Day that 54 police officers were injured, 30 of them by pyrotechnics. Eight of the injured police officers were unable to continue their duties. At the turn of the year, 720 investigations were initiated into incidents throughout the city between 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 6 a.m. on January 1st. The numbers are provisional, the events will be further evaluated.
The police in North Rhine-Westphalia counted 1,186 expulsions during the same twelve-hour observation period (previous year: 1,358). 154 people were taken into custody (previous year 215). 26 (previous year 25) were temporarily arrested. 210 people were injured by other people.
Around 1,000 police officers were on duty in Cologne on New Year’s Eve, also to prevent riots. However, according to media reports, the mood around the Domplatte and the neighboring main train station remained largely peaceful. Plans to attack Cologne Cathedral had previously become known. Three suspects were taken into custody who are linked to a 30-year-old Tajik man who was arrested in Wesel on Christmas Eve.
Young, male, violent
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In Leipzig’s left-wing trendy Connewitz district, several fires were lit on the streets, a supermarket was pelted with stones, and a police station was also attacked.
uh/sti (dpa, afp)