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Punks in Westerland on Sylt: not welcome everywhere
Photo: Axel Heimken / picture alliance / dpa
The mayor of Sylt has defended a concrete wall his municipality erected in front of a private passageway that some punks had previously used as a toilet.
»Of course, the demarcation is hotly debated, polarized and the 'punks' deal with it polarizingly in their own way.
Nevertheless, this sign was important, I think," Nikolas Häckel told the dpa news agency.
According to him, the regulatory office and the police dealt with the situation with a sense of proportion and at the same time consistently.
After massive complaints from business people and restaurateurs, the municipality had blocked the private passage near a fountain in the island's capital, Westerland, with concrete blocks.
This was done in consultation with the owners to protect their property and to avoid further contamination.
In addition, there is now a fence around the fountain, which served as a meeting point for the punks.
The introduction of the 9-euro ticket meant that a few dozen punks also traveled to the North Sea island.
Häckel confirmed that the frustration of homeowners, restaurateurs and tradespeople and the economic damage are great as a result.
"Many people no longer come to this square, especially families and senior citizens," quotes the "Hamburger Abendblatt" from the operator of a crêpes stand next to the alley that is now blocked with concrete blocks.
Only the regulars come anyway, and some even come to support them.
"We're not hurting anyone," a woman from the punk group told the newspaper.
According to her own statements, she always ensures that peace returns when the alcohol causes the mood at the fountain in Westerland to get out of hand.
lov/dpa