According to the Berlin police, the majority of those arrested on New Year’s Eve in Berlin are male and under the age of 25. More than two dozen are even minors. The Federal Anti-Racism Commissioner now warns to focus more on age and gender.
About two-thirds of the 145 people arrested in connection with the New Year’s Eve riots are under 25 years old, according to the police. Of these, 27 suspects are still minors, the police said. The RBB had previously reported. According to the police, there are hardly any female suspects: 139 of the 145 of those temporarily arrested are male, said a spokesman. According to the information, all suspects were released after the police measures were completed.
According to their own statements, the police have so far initiated 355 criminal and administrative offense proceedings. A total of 18 different nationalities were recorded. According to the police, 45 of the suspects are German nationals, 27 suspects are Afghan nationals and 21 are Syrians.
Instead of debating integration, the focus should be on young men as perpetrators, says the German government’s anti-racism commissioner, Reem Alabali-Radovan. “What we need is an honest debate about youth violence,” said Alabali-Radovan.
After all, it is “mainly about young men who perceive violence in a group as an experience”. They have no respect for the police and emergency services – and endanger the health of other people through their excesses of violence.
“Many of the attacked rescue workers have a family history of immigration themselves, every third employee of the Berlin police,” said the SPD politician, who is also the federal government’s integration officer. In order to stop the violence, on the one hand a “strong state is needed that shows a presence on the streets and sanctions crimes quickly and harshly”, on the other hand social work and prevention in schools, but also the police and courts, need to be intertwined.
“Anyone who has a perspective and who has something to lose in life is less likely to commit blind violence like we experienced on New Year’s Eve,” said Alabali-Radovan. Integration is above all a social question, and “we should talk more about that”.
On the night of New Year’s Day, police officers and firefighters were attacked in several German cities. The attacks were particularly violent in some areas of Berlin. About two-thirds of the 145 people arrested in connection with the Berlin New Year’s Eve riots are under the age of 25, according to the police. A spokesman said 139 of the 145 of those temporarily arrested were male.
