New Year's Eve chaos in Neukölln won't be repeated, promises Iris Spranger
Let's hope that Neukölln's New Year's Eve nightmare from 2022/23 never happens again. That's the vibe we're getting from Berlin's Interior Senator, Iris Spranger (62, SPD), who is thinking about setting up a fireworks and firecracker-free zone in the riot district.
The images of a burned-out coach in High-Deck housing estate and a bratty 15-year-old launching a fire extinguisher at an ambulance's windshield during New Year's Eve were gruesome. To keep this from happening again, Spranger wants to implement a firecracker and fireworks ban in at least one area.
What area, exactly? Perhaps the High-Deck-Siedlung, the hotspot of chaos. A citywide ban in Sonnenallee is not an option right now.
In 2019, Berlin introduced similar zones in places like Alexanderplatz, the Steinmetz-Kiez in Schöneberg, and the streets of Alt-Moabit. These zones came with barriers and police presence to monitor entry.
Prohibition zones need a clear threat assessment backbone to avoid legal issues. Spranger plans to push for a "Basic Law clause" at the upcoming interior ministers' conference, making it simpler to establish such zones.
One fact is already clear: more police officers will be on duty in Berlin during New Year's Eve. Last time, the 1,300 officers weren't enough, and Stephan Katte, who managed May 1st, will lead the operations this time.
Fireworks and firecrackers misuse led to the mayhem in Neukölln, and Iris Spranger's plan is to prevent a repeat.
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