Hotel in Berlin's Roma district under scrutiny: GdP spokesperson calls for strict penalties
In the heart of Berlin-Schöneberg, a hotel has been providing temporary shelter for the Sinti and Roma community every summer since 2020. However, the hotel's operations have recently come under scrutiny due to allegations of ongoing criminal activities.
Benjamin Jendro, spokesperson for the Police Union Berlin (GdP), has been vocal about the situation, describing it as requiring daily police deployments due to bodily injuries, threats, and disturbances. He has also questioned how 50 people can be accommodated on one floor with only two rooms in the hotel.
Jendro has appealed to the responsible politics, suggesting that not all people in the hotel should be accommodated to address the issues. He has also made serious accusations against Berlin politics, stating that the police in the capital have been "underfunded" and there are insufficient resources at the public order office.
Jendro has also criticized the hotel operator, claiming they were making a profit from the accommodation. He has advocated for revoking the Schengen travel freedom for criminal EU foreigners, but it's important to note that there is currently no explicit policy in Berlin that specifically restricts hotels from accommodating EU foreigners based solely on a history of criminal offenses.
In an interview with "Welt TV", Jendro emphasized that there are other hotels in the capital with similar problems. He also made serious accusations against the hotel operator, claiming they were making a profit from the accommodation.
The hotel manager has not yet commented on the conditions on site. It's worth noting that hotels typically retain the right to refuse service under German civil law but must not discriminate unlawfully, including against EU nationals. Criminal records of guests are generally not grounds for accommodation denial unless linked to ongoing police or court orders.
Despite the ongoing controversy, the hotel continues to serve as a summer sanctuary for the Sinti and Roma community. The situation raises questions about the balance between providing shelter and addressing public safety concerns, a challenge that many cities around the world face when dealing with temporary housing solutions.
[1] Germany extends temporary border controls and intensifies deportation measures
[2] Germany's crackdown on migrants with criminal records
[3] European Entry/Exit System (EES)
[4] ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)
[5] Improving security and monitoring non-EU travelers
- The ongoing issues at the hotel in Berlin-Schöneberg, including allegations of criminal activities, have sparked discussions in the realm of politics and general-news, with Benjamin Jendro, spokesperson for the Police Union Berlin (GdP), criticizing both the hotel operator and Berlin politics for underfunding and insufficient resources.
- With the hotel's accommodations under scrutiny for public safety concerns, there have been calls for policies related to crime-and-justice, such as Germany's crackdown on migrants with criminal records, the European Entry/Exit System (EES), ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), and improving security and monitoring non-EU travelers.
