Berlin New Year's shame: 38 attacks on emergency services - the fire brigade is "stunned and sad"

Created: 01/02/2023, 12:25 p.m

By: Helmi Krappitz

The Berlin fire brigade publishes the balance sheet of New Year's Eve.

The total of 38 attacks on emergency services made the Berlin fire brigade "stunned and sad".

Berlin – On Sunday, the Berlin fire brigade shared the annual New Year's balance sheet.

The fire brigade was well positioned with emergency services and vehicles, but was again surprised "by the mass and intensity of the attacks".

The internal reporting system documented a total of 38 attacks on emergency services.

"State of emergency New Year's Eve": Berlin fire brigade was well positioned

There were a total of 1,717 operations by the Berlin fire brigade at the turn of the year 2022/2023.

Between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. alone, the fire brigade counted 749 fires, 825 rescue service calls and 53 technical assistance.

In comparison, there were 691 more missions than on New Year's Eve last year.

Fireworks were officially not allowed to be sold on New Year's Eve 2021/2022.

According to dpa, this has an impact on the number of operations.

In the early hours of the morning, the number of operations decreased.

In advance planning, the fire brigade has declared the "state of emergency New Year's Eve".

Personnel operations have almost tripled.

This includes management services and staff on the guards as well as organizational units and the control center.

Volunteer fire brigades and rescue service personnel from the German Armed Forces also supported the operations.

According to the Berlin fire brigade, a total of 1,471 emergency services with 395 vehicles were on duty.

The Berlin fire brigade regrets the renewed attacks on emergency services on New Year's Eve.

© IMAGO/Marius Schwarz

"Stunned and sad": 38 reports of attacks on emergency services

In the New Year's balance, the Berlin fire department regrets the attacks on the emergency services.

They are "stunned and saddened" by the events of New Year's Eve.

The internal reporting system documented 38 attacks.

Among them were messages like

• - "Blind gun held in the face"

  
  

  - "Eye injury caused by pepper spray and blunt force against an emergency responder"

  
  

  - "Beer crates and fire extinguishers thrown at vehicles " - "Purpose fired at

  
  

  fire during the extinguishing work"

  
  

  - "Obstruction of operations by barricades"

  
  

  - "Looting of Emergency vehicles by masked people"

  
  

  - "Severe vehicles severely damaged by pyrotechnics, so that they have to be

  
  

  taken out of service" - "15 injured emergency services, one of whom was hospitalized"

State fire director sharply condemns: "This behavior cannot be justified by anything"

The state fire director Dr.

Homrighausen: “There is no justification for this behavior and I can only condemn it in the strongest possible terms.

Anyone who rushes to help people in need and is then attacked must be protected.” The Berlin fire brigade reports that they have already provided extensive after-sales assistance.

All incidents are to be reported again this year.

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On New Year's Eve, 15 emergency services were injured.

One worker had to be hospitalized.

According to current knowledge, a total of 22 people in Berlin were injured by pyrotechnics.

About a dozen people were injured in the fires.

The Berlin fire brigade does not rule out further injuries.