Title: Berlin Politics Shake Up as Interior Committee Clears Stricter Police Measures
In a bold move, Berlin's interior politicians have given the green light to a more stringent police bill. On Monday, the Interior Committee of the Berlin House of Representatives approved the amendment to the Security and Order Act (ASOG). The proposed law now awaits approval from the House of Representatives plenary, with the CDU and SPD coalition aiming for a vote this year [Source: www.dpa.com].
Criticism rang out against the bill from the Left Party and Green Party. Niklas Schrader, the Left Party's home affairs spokesperson, voiced his concerns on X, formerly Twitter, asking, "Why is this law being rushed through so urgently?" [Source: www.dpa.com].
The opposition parties, particularly the Left and Green parties, raised concerns about several changes in the bill. They queried the use of bodycams and stun guns (Tasers) in policing [Source: www.dpa.com]. The amendment allows Berlin police officers to film operations when escalation is a threat and Expands the use of stun guns (Tasers), currently under testing [Source: www.dpa.com]. The maximum duration of preventive detention is also set to increase from two to five days [Source: www.dpa.com].
While controversy over the bill has dominated political discussion, the actual source of the controversy lies elsewhere. Germany has been embroiled in escalating debates surrounding Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) leader Friedrich Merz's pursuit of stricter immigration policies. His cooperation with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party sparked significant protests and criticism from the Left and Green parties [1][2][5].
However, these political upheavals show no sign of halting the proposed police reforms. The Interior Committee is pushing to expedite the passage of these tightened police measures, as highlighted by Niklas Schrader [Source: www.dpa.com]. In summary, Berlin's interior politicians advance a revision to the police law, allowing cops to use bodycams in high-risk situations and expand the use of Tasers, as protests take shape around immigration policies and political alliances.
