After the tumult before the Green Party’s political Ash Wednesday in Biberach, criticism of the police’s preparations was raised. Police union boss Kusterer defends the operation.
In the escalating protest before the Greens’ Political Ash Wednesday, the police acted well from the perspective of Ralf Kusterer, the state chairman of the German Police Union (DPolG). The union boss said they had already monitored the situation during the night and increased staff following initial indications. Among other things, officials from the Presidium who were trained for such demonstration situations were called into action. “I have to say, the Ulm police headquarters reacted excellently.”
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Greens canceled event after riots
It is part of the police’s daily business to assess the situation, Kusterer told the German Press Agency. At the moment, this is sometimes more difficult given the farmers’ protests, he admitted. On Wednesday, the Greens canceled their event in the Biberach town hall at short notice due to security concerns after farmers’ protests escalated.
Did the police in Biberach react correctly?
An assessment by Knut Bauer from the SWR state politics editorial team:
The way this went down, the police’s operational tactics definitely need to be discussed, since the protests formed in the early hours of the morning around 4 a.m. Jürgen Trittin, the former Federal Minister of the Green Party, who was supposed to appear as a guest speaker in Biberach at the Political Ash Wednesday, asks exactly this question: Why did the police in Baden-Württemberg fail to protect an event organized by their own Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann in such a way that it could take place. The German Police Union is of the opinion that the police reacted excellently because the forces were increased again – but that was clearly not enough. If such an escalation level is reached, political events – especially those of the Greens – will probably have to be better protected in the future.
Farmers had already blocked roads in Biberach with their tractors in the early hours of Wednesday morning. To clear the way, police officers pushed the crowd back and had objects thrown at them. They used pepper spray and batons. According to police reports, several officers were slightly injured and at least one rioter was arrested.
Ralf Kusterer, chairman of the German Police Union of Baden-Württemberg
picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Weissbrod
Trittin criticizes the police’s preparations
After the operation, Green Party politician Jürgen Trittin, who had come to Biberach, criticized the police in Baden-Württemberg. She had to ask herself serious questions “why she was not able to secure an event organized by her own Prime Minister so that it could take place,” he told the “taz”. Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann, as well as Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, should take part in their party’s political Ash Wednesday.
Were there also right-wing extremists at the farmers’ protests in Biberach?
An assessment by Knut Bauer from the SWR state politics editorial team:
At least one or two right-wing extremist posters were noticed. One thing is clear: the farmers’ associations have not registered this event. They have also clearly distanced themselves from what happened. Baden-Württemberg’s Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) also says that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has no knowledge that the farmers’ demonstrations were deliberately infiltrated. But extremists are certainly involved in these demonstrations. The security authorities’ investigations must clarify to what extent farmers, right-wing extremists or neo-Nazis were involved in the riots in Biberach.
Trade unionist Kusterer said that, as far as he knew, the police initially planned to have a hundred police officers, but in the end there were more than 200 police officers on duty. “In my opinion, the planned contingent of forces was sufficient.” When it became clear early in the night that the protest might turn out differently than expected, those responsible quickly took action.
Biberach
Demonstrators disrupt Green Party event Opinion: What happened in Biberach is a disgrace
Massive protests in Biberach on Wednesday led to the cancellation of the Green Party’s Political Ash Wednesday. A disgrace for democracy, comments Knut Bauer from the SWR state politics editorial team.
Wed.14.2.2024 7:30 p.m. SWR Aktuell Baden-Württemberg SWR BW
Interior Minister Strobl wants to report to the Interior Committee
Ultimately, it was probably the 70 troublemakers who were not part of the peasantry, said Kusterer. Among other things, flags of the Kingdom of Prussia could be seen. It initially remained unclear who organized the protest and whether there were extremists among the participants. The state and local farmers’ associations distanced themselves from the action.
When asked whether the Office for the Protection of the Constitution had noticed something in advance and warned the police – or should have – Kusterer did not answer specifically and, with a view to assessing the situation, said in general: “Various internal security organizations are involved.”
Kretschmann described the events on Wednesday evening on SWR television as a “breaking point”. We need to look more closely at how it came about that a democratic party was unable to hold an important event. When the police are finished with their reports about what happened in Biberach, “then we can evaluate it when we really have all the facts,” said the Green politician.
Baden-Württemberg’s Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) offered the state parliament’s Interior Committee to report on the events at the next meeting. Strobl criticized the riots and announced that “criminals would be brought to justice quickly and without any residue.”
Police union for tractor ban during demonstrations
The police union (GdP) is now calling for a ban on tractors during demonstrations. “The assembly authorities and the police must react immediately and ban tractors at meetings,” said GdP federal chairman Jochen Kopelke to the “Rheinische Post”. The police will “consistently enforce” the ban.
“We pointed out the dangers of tractors and tractors and appealed to common sense when protesting,” Kopelke continued. However, the fact that French conditions are now spilling over into Germany cannot be tolerated. “The many different protests in Germany show: We need more hundreds and water cannons to enforce the rule of law,” said Kopelke.