Last New Year’s Eve had a bitter aftertaste in Germany. Emergency services were massively attacked in several cities. Now the Interior Minister is again warning of riots in the wake of the Middle East crisis.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) fears new New Year’s Eve riots this year, which could be further fueled by the Middle East war and pro-Palestinian demonstrations. “I am worried that New Year’s Eve could again be a day on which we have to experience blind anger and senseless violence in some cities, for example against police officers or rescue workers,” Faeser told the newspapers of the Editorial Network Germany (RND) on Thursday.
“I know that the federal states and their police forces are now preparing for this differently than last time: with new risk assessments, with more police,” said the Federal Interior Minister. “I am particularly grateful to the emergency services who are there to ensure our safety.”
Riots in several cities on New Year’s Eve 2022
“We now have a generally increasing willingness to use violence on days like New Year’s Eve,” Faeser continued. “And of course we have to keep a very close eye on the danger that this will also mix with the radicalization that we are now seeing in view of the Middle East conflict.”
Faeser appealed to everyone to “celebrate a peaceful new year and avoid violence – especially in these difficult times.” Last New Year’s Eve, emergency and rescue workers were massively attacked in Berlin and other cities. In Berlin, 145 people were arrested that night.
Source: Stern
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