About 300 Arrested in Berlin on New Year’s Eve Incidents

January 1, 2024 Hour: 2:00 pm

On Sunday, the German Police arrested 300 people in Berlin during incidents reported in New Year’s celebrations.

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They also reported that 15 officers were injured in the operation, the largest so far. The majority of the individuals were arrested for violations of the Explosives Act. In the rest of the country, at least two 18-year-old men died due to injuries caused by fireworks.

In total, almost 5,000 police officers were on duty in the German capital to prevent disturbances and incidents similar to those of the previous year: 3,500 police officers from various federal states patrolled the streets, especially in hotspots of previous New Year’s Eves like Neukölln, Mitte, or Schöneberg.

There were also 1,000 police officers in the police stations and 500 federal police officers at train stations in what was the largest police operation on New Year’s Eve.

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Additionally, 1,500 firefighters worked in Berlin throughout the night. Last year, there were riots and attacks against police officers and first responders across the country.

This year, the police were also concerned about the conflict in Gaza, so a pro-Palestinian demonstration on New Year’s Eve was prohibited. Nevertheless, on Sunday afternoon, about 2,000 people participated in a demonstration.

In Berlin, there were several zones where fireworks were prohibited, but despite this, there were several incidents, such as at Alexanderplatz, where about 500 people threw fireworks and rockets at each other. A group of 200 people launched fireworks at the police.

Meanwhile, about 65,000 people peacefully celebrated the traditional New Year’s Eve party at the Brandenburg Gate.

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