Leipzig-Connewitz: What is known about the attack on a police officer

Hundreds of people wanted to celebrate the New Year at the Connewitzer Kreuz in Leipzig - but shortly after midnight the situation escalated. The police fought with several violent criminals. According to the police, an official was seriously injured.

The incident triggered horror and fierce political debates far beyond Leipzig. The authorities are now investigating attempted murder and suspect a left-wing motive. The incident raises many questions - here is an overview of the most important answers:

What happened in New Year's Eve in Connewitz?

According to police, more than 1000 people stayed at the Connewitzer Kreuz on the sidelines of New Year's celebrations in the left-wing alternative district. Shortly after midnight, a riot police officer was attacked and seriously injured. The helmet was ripped off the 38-year-old's head. The policeman passed out and had to be taken to the hospital for an operation.

The man, who is still in hospital for inpatient treatment, is doing "according to the circumstances," the police spokesman told SPIEGEL. "There is no danger to life." The spokesman for the Saxon State Criminal Police Office (LKA), Tom Bernhardt, said that the 38-year-old policeman was currently only "partially meaningful".

In other clashes, 22 officers were also slightly injured, police said. A police spokesman also said that a person who was temporarily arrested was injured.

What is the status of the investigation?

The "Soko LinX" run by the LKA Sachsen continues to investigate the case of the injured 38-year-old for attempted murder against unknown. A politically motivated criminal offense is "the most likely thesis," said LKA spokesman Bernhardt SPIEGEL, referring to "experiences and knowledge of the scene" of the security authorities. However, one investigates "in all directions".

According to the LKA, twelve further investigations were initiated because of bottle throwing and the use of pyrotechnics against civil servants, including one for breach of the peace. Ten suspects were provisionally arrested, but six of them were released on Thursday due to lack of detention. According to LKA, it is a 25-year-old woman and nine men aged 20 to 32. Two people, not described in more detail, had already been released on New Year's morning.

The public prosecutor applied for arrest warrants against the remaining four suspects at the investigating judge at the Leipzig district court. Among other things, they are accused of assaulting law enforcement officers and assaulting themselves.

The "Soko LinX" was launched in early November 2019 and, according to Saxony's Interior Minister Roland Wöller (CDU), is intended to "increase the pressure on the left-wing extremist scene in Leipzig".

How does the police describe the serious attack on the officer?

The police of Saxony announced on New Year's Eve that "occasional personal checks" would be carried out, "so that New Year's Eve is as safe and trouble-free as possible for all celebrants in Leipzig" - this should also explain their presence in the Connewitz district.

Our colleagues conduct occasional personal checks so that the turn of the year is as safe and trouble-free as possible for all celebrants in Leipzig. * bhe

According to a LKA message from Thursday, the area was a "spatial focus" due to several events. According to the LKA, officers of the riot police were "thrown with stones, bottles and firecrackers" from a larger group at 0.15 am. In addition, a burning shopping cart, which was decorated as a patrol car, was pushed towards the officials.

In the attempt to arrest one of the perpetrators, three riot police were "attacked by between 20-30 people between the central island of the Connewitzer Kreuz and Bornaische Strasse". These were "at least partially masked". "The perpetrators ripped off the helmets from the officers' heads, brought them down and massively affected them," it continues. One policeman was seriously injured, two others "not inconsiderably". An LKA spokeswoman did not want to give any further details with reference to the ongoing investigation. Contrary to initial statements, the officials were not attacked with pyrotechnics, said Ricardo Schulz, spokesman for the Leipzig public prosecutor's office.

Eyewitness accounts of the incident partially contradict this account. What issues are in dispute?

Above all, it is controversial what exactly triggered the violent clashes: While the police on Twitter blame "supposedly 'peacefully' celebrating people ', several alleged eyewitnesses on Twitter speak of aggressive behavior by the officials.

The Saxon member of the Landtag Juliane Nagel (left), who is also a member of the Leipzig City Council, criticized the actions of the emergency services as "disgusting police violence" and "calculated provocation". On her website, she stated that she had been to Connewitzer Kreuz on New Year's Eve. "Police groups kept running in crowds, running people around, injuring people. The police were then thrown at them. This was repeated over and over again," wrote Nagel.

The deputy head of the local SPD, Irena Rudolph-Kokot, also accused the police of "escalating tactics" in the "Leipziger Volkszeitung".

Why does the police link the riots to the left-wing autonomous scene?

The district in the south of Leipzig is known nationwide for its alternative character, as a contact point and center for the left and autonomous - a political district with lots of free space, pubs, art, culture. However, there are also frequent clashes with the police in Connewitz.

The district is also a prime example of gentrification: apartments are being renovated, new buildings are being built, primarily in the higher price segment. In the past ten years, rents in Connewitz have increased by around 30 percent. Local residents fear being pushed out of their neighborhood. The fact that anger about the change can also turn into violence has been shown in Leipzig in recent months: real estate companies and their employees have increasingly become the target of attacks.