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"Conditions unbearable": square in Cologne city center is sinking into the drug swamp

2022-07-01T03:16:36.028Z


"Conditions unbearable": square in Cologne city center is sinking into the drug swamp Created: 07/01/2022 04:59 By: Johanna Werning Despite the drug consumption room, dealings continue on Neumarkt (IDZRW assembly) © Horst Galuschka/Imago & Jochen Tack/Imago Despite the solution, the Neumarkt in Cologne remains littered and is still considered a drug hotspot. The local residents? Desperate. You


"Conditions unbearable": square in Cologne city center is sinking into the drug swamp

Created: 07/01/2022 04:59

By: Johanna Werning

Despite the drug consumption room, dealings continue on Neumarkt (IDZRW assembly) © Horst Galuschka/Imago & Jochen Tack/Imago

Despite the solution, the Neumarkt in Cologne remains littered and is still considered a drug hotspot.

The local residents?

Desperate.

You have clear demands on the city.

Cologne – The Neumarkt in Cologne is not only the absolute hub of the KVB, the square in the center of Cologne is also a real drug and garbage hotspot.

Drugs are bought and consumed here even during the day - and that on the open street.

The new drug consumption room in the health department started about six weeks ago.

The hope of the city and the residents: With the new drug consumption room, the situation on Neumarkt will be defused.

But the reality appears to be different, as 24RHEIN reports.

The residents are desperate.

Because instead of an improvement, the drug problem on Neumarkt has actually gotten worse.

Cologne: Waste and drug problems worse – “addicts everywhere who use drugs”

“Everywhere addicts who use drugs: in the house entrances, underground car park entrances, toilets of cafés, side streets, subway areas and stairways.

And it gets even worse when evening falls.

Then the conditions become unbearable," says the citizens' initiative in Neumarkt.

“Then there are huge groups of addicts in the Josef-Haubrich-Hof.

10-20 people screaming and using drugs there until late at night.”

This is the citizens' initiative for the future of Neumarkt

► The citizens' initiative for the future of Neumarkt was founded in May 2017

► It is an association of residents, homeowners, tradespeople and business people around the Neumarkt and in the neighboring districts. 

► The citizens' initiative wants to "solve the urgent problems and challenges together with those responsible".

The goal: to preserve, strengthen and help shape Cologne city center and in particular the Neumarkt area as a living and economic area close to the people.

In the early evening hours – when the drug room is already closed – the problem at Neumarkt increases.

The citizens' initiative summarizes that "deals are being made as much as possible".

And the city?

"They don't do anything about it!

Nothing at all!

And the police have very often pooled their forces elsewhere.

So the drug scene keeps the upper hand here and takes the space.”

Cologne: Neumarkt is sinking in garbage and drugs - demands of the citizens' initiative

The result: "Residents no longer dare to cross the square," is the accusation from the club.

You are simply left alone by the administration.

"The conditions are unbearable!" That's why something urgently needs to be done.

The demands of the citizens' initiative Future Neumarkt:

  • Identify and take quick action to get the problems under control in the short term.

  • Convene a meeting at the highest level between the new chief of police, the head of the Cologne public prosecutor's office and the new president of the Cologne district court.

    This is intended to set in motion a new process that shows how the problems can be solved in the medium and long term and what measures are required to do so.

Cologne: Drugs and garbage at the Neumarkt - the city still sees an improvement

And what does the city say about the criticism of the citizens' initiative?

Nevertheless, she sees an improvement in the problem: "From the point of view of the prospective addiction clearing (ASC), the situation has not worsened.

In addition, we see that the situation has improved during the opening times of the drug consumption room," said a city spokeswoman when asked by 24RHEIN.

That is why the opening hours are to be expanded in the coming weeks.

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“The plan is to extend the opening hours from mid-August to: Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

An extension to Sunday is being examined and prepared in the future.

That's why the city wants to go one step further: "The expert group 'Places with a special need for action' was also founded, which comprehensively deals with and accompanies the topic as part of the Neumarkt working group.

The 'local agenda' set up specifically for the Neumarkt includes, among other things, the topic of drug consumption.” It remains to be seen which measures the expert group will “deal with and support” – much to the chagrin of the residents.

(jw)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-07-01

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