Hundred masked individuals engage in a standoff with two hundred thirty law enforcement officers.
Kreuzberg: Left-wing Activists Attempt to Reoccupy Vacant 'Meuterei' Bar
In a revival of long-standing tensions, a group of around 100 masked individuals, identified by police as left-wing extremists, tried to reoccupy the vacant premises of the alternative bar 'Meuterei' in Berlin's Kreuzberg district on Thursday afternoon. The Police Directorate of Berlin dispatched approximately 230 officers to the scene to prevent the occupation and maintain public order.
Residents alerted emergency services around 4:40 p.m. as the masked group gathered between Ohlauer and Lausitzer Straße on Reichenberger Straße. Witnesses reported that the mob aimed to enter the vacant building. Initially, around 30 individuals managed to force their way inside,, but swift intervention by nearby police forces led to the group's eviction from the premises. According to the Berliner Zeitung, the activists had forced open the door.
The police spokesperson informed that over 200 people participated in a spontaneous demonstration until around 9:45 p.m., After which, the demonstration leader ended the gathering. In total, 50 demonstrators and protestors were temporarily detained by the police. The Berlin Police launched criminal proceedings against the left-wing extremists for violating public order and trespassing.
The striking 'Meuterei' bar was evicted by court order in March 2021 when its lease expired. The eviction was seen as a symbolic displacement of alternative spaces in Berlin within the left-wing scene. Although this specific incident marks the latest attempt to reclaim such venues by activist groups, it appears that no lasting occupation occurred due to the swift police intervention.
This recurring conflict between alternative groups and law enforcement over the use of vacant, historically significant venues underscores ongoing tensions in Kreuzberg. Local authorities remain vigilant to prevent unauthorized occupations, while activists continue to test the boundaries of protest and community claims on urban spaces.
- The attempts by left-wing extremists to reclaim the vacant 'Meuterei' bar in Kreuzberg's general-news scene is a continuation of the long-standing tensions, as seen in the latest crime-and-justice incident where they were evicted by police after attempting to occupy the bar.
- As the ongoing conflict between alternative groups and law enforcement persists in Kreuzberg, residents and left-wing activists continue to engage in politics, with the latest incident involving a reattempt to occupy the symbolically significant 'Meuterei' bar, resulting in a criminal probe for violating public order and trespassing.
