Keeping Berlin Safe: Police Crack Down on Weapons at Major Train Stations
Officers retrieve approximately eighty blades at various train stations - Law enforcement agencies are seizing approximately 80 knives at various train stations.
Get your weapons off the tracks! That's the message from the Federal Police as they seize nearly 80 prohibited items, mainly knives, at 12 train stations across Berlin.
It's all part of the four-week weapons ban that's been in effect since late May 2025, targeting trains stations like Hauptbahnhof, Südkreuz, Zoologischer Garten, and Alexanderplatz, among others. The ban includes not just knives, but also axes, pepper spray, baseball bats, and firearms.
But it's not just about the weapons. Officers have also uncovered over 200 other offenses during the checks, ranging from drug crimes to violent and residence-related offenses. They've also secured countless irritants, tools, bludgeons, and other dangerous items.
With the ban's success halfway through, the Federal Police are happy with the increased security it's providing for rail transport. In fact, they've already caught 79 violations of the ban and 46 violations of the Weapons Act.
And it's not stopping there. The Senate Interior Administration has plans to make this ban permanent, extending it to all local public transport in Berlin, including U- and S-bahns, trams, buses, platforms, and train stations. If all goes according to plan, this could become a reality as early as mid-July.
These moves come as a response to the rising crime rates in Berlin, with the city seeing an average of ten knife attacks per day. No-knife zones have been designated at hotspots like Leopoldplatz and Görlitzer Park. And other German cities, such as Hamburg and Frankfurt, have also implemented similar bans.
However, the effectiveness of these bans is debated, with police facing challenges in enforcing them due to resource constraints and the need for random checks. But one thing's for sure: The Federal Police are determined to keep Berlin safe.
The Federal Police's crackdown on weapons at major train stations, as part of the four-week ban, is an attempt to address the rising crime rates in Berlin, particularly knife attacks. This initiative aligns with the broader community policy aimed at improving general-news issues, such as crime-and-justice, and is part of a broader discussion on employment policy, considering the need for sufficient police force to maintain order. The Senate Interior Administration's plans to extend the ban to all local public transport is a step towards implementing stricter employment policies in the city.
