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Photo: Michael Sohn/ AP
01/01/2024 The police from the Berlin district of Neukölln reported an unusually harmonious course of the past New Year's Eve.
"We were really happy," said a spokesman at the traditional New Year's press conference, at which firecracker burns, rocket accidents and attacks on fire brigades and rescue workers had always had to be reported in previous years.
This time, however, the turn of the year in the former problem district was "completely peaceful" for the first time: "The city-wide ban on firecrackers was observed without exception, we had no problems." , numerous young people would have thanked the security staff with small gifts for the difficult work.
The incumbent mayor was also satisfied: "We have solved the problem," said Franziska Giffey (SPD) in a greeting at the New Year's reception of the "Association of Formerly Perspective Small Gangsters Neukölln e.
V.«.
Youth unemployment, a lack of schooling and insufficient knowledge of German are "yesterday's phenomena.
And all because we don't fire any more.« The mayor then proceeded to the ceremonial melting down of the last remaining Berlin alarm gun.
Finally, the SPD politician ventured a positive outlook for the future: "The repetition of the election in 2023 didn't work out so well," said Giffey.
"But we can still do that."