Anniversary March in Neukölln Pays Homage to Victims of Hanau Shooting Incident after Five Years
February 20: Remembering the Heroes of the Hanau Attacks - Five Years On
Braving the arctic cold, over 5,000 people joined a memorial march on Wednesday night, honoring the nine victims of the racist attack in Hanau, commemorating the grim event that happened five years ago, right here in Neukölln. The march kicked off at the High-Deck housing estate and journeyed towards Sonnenallee, with large-scale images of the victims projected onto local buildings along the route.
On this fateful day, February 19, 2020, nine innocent souls, each with a diverse background, fell prey to a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi extremist who had a history with the law. Since then, the Hanau attacks have stood as a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of racial hatred and the possible systemic failures within German policing. The victims' families have repeatedly criticized the authorities for negligence, pointing out that the emergency response number was eerily silent on the night of the massacre. In time, it was revealed that no less than 13 special forces officers on duty that dreadful night were members of extremist right-wing chat groups.
Organized by various left-wing activist groups such as Migrantifa and Global South United, the Berlin march was kept under surveillance with approximately 500 officers and a helicopter, resulting in 11 arrests, making the event for the most part peaceful and orderly.
The hunt for accountability regarding the police officers serving in right-wing extremist groups is still ongoing, but the specifics of investigations are not well-documented in the existing search results. The broader issue of right-wing extremism within German society and institutions, including the police force, has been under scrutiny since the Hanau attack, leading to various governmental measures aimed at countering extremism at its root.
Remembering these heroes, let us not forget the need for constant vigilance, unity, and action to end the poison of racial hatred and extremism in our society. May their memories forever be a beacon of hope and a reminder of the importance of combating hatred wherever it lurks.
Against the backdrop of the general-news event that took place five years ago, the Hanau attacks, political discussions about crime-and-justice have emerged, shed light on the systemic failures within German policing. The ongoing investigation into the police officers serving in right-wing extremist groups highlights the necessity of maintaining vigilance, unity, and active measures to eradicate extremism, as we remember the heroes lost to racial hatred.
