Status: 01.01.2024, 02:49 a.m.
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The fireworks at the turn of the year rise behind the Brandenburg Gate. © Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
In Berlin, the mayor announces a "night of repression" on New Year's Eve if necessary. In fact, there are incidents again - not only in Berlin.
Berlin - In many countries, the new year has already begun - and in Germany, too, millions celebrated largely peacefully and exuberantly. But already on New Year's Eve there were also serious incidents. In Koblenz, an 18-year-old died when a firecracker exploded. In Berlin in particular, the police had to deploy to numerous operations, and the emergency services had been particularly tense about the turn of the year.
"Tonight is the night, if necessary, the night of repression, where the rule of law will try to enforce itself," said the CDU politician during a visit to a police station in Berlin-Neukölln. On New Year's Eve a year ago, there were riots and attacks on police and rescue workers nationwide, with Berlin particularly affected.
Firecrackers, Molotov cocktails, arrests in Berlin
As early as 1:00 a.m., the Berlin police reported more than 200 arrests, often involving dangerous fireworks with dangerous fireworks. "Various attacks with pyro, alarm shots & bottles on emergency and rescue forces" were reported, it said.
On Sunday evening, there was an incident near Alexanderplatz in Berlin-Mitte with hundreds of people involved. According to the police, firecrackers were thrown from a group of around 500 people. The police had dispersed the group at the Neptune Fountain and checked for fireworks, the police said on the online platform X (formerly Twitter). "From a group of about 200 people, who were at the town hall passages, our forces were shot at with pyro," it continued.
Fireworks rockets explode over the Bavarian capital. © Peter Kneffel/dpa
In Neukölln, cars were shot at with fireworks around midnight, including police and rescue vehicles, according to the police. In addition, people had shot at police officers with rockets in Hermannstraße in Neukölln.
More suspects in custody after Cologne terror alert
After a terror alarm, the turn of the year was celebrated at Cologne Cathedral under high security measures. For the time being, everything went largely quietly. "A few firecracker throwers, some detention, nothing out of the ordinary," a police spokesman said around 1:30 a.m. On the Domplatte and the station forecourt, it was largely peaceful. There was great concern about an incident. An attack was to be carried out with a car, said Cologne police chief Johannes Hermanns. It turned out that the Tajik, who had already been taken into custody on Christmas Eve, was part of a larger network that also extended to other federal states and other European states.
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Numerous people celebrate the turn of the year in Sankt Pauli above the Landungsbrücken at the port of Hamburg. © Christel Köster/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Under massive police protection, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki then celebrated the well-attended New Year's Eve Mass in the evening. According to police, it remained quiet around the cathedral in the evening. "I thank our security forces, who have already begun in the days before Christmas to protect this cathedral and also to protect us, so that we can celebrate worship and the fundamental right of free exercise of religion continues to be guaranteed in our country," Woelki said at the beginning of the Mass.
Serious accidents involving private fireworks
Despite all the warnings, there were also serious accidents involving fireworks. In Koblenz, this even ended fatally in one case: An 18-year-old died on Sunday evening while igniting a firecracker, according to the police. Despite resuscitation, the young man died as a result of the explosion. The investigation into the circumstances was ongoing. The police initially did not want to give any further information about the incident in the Rübenach district. The police once again called for careful handling of fireworks.
Fireworks are set off in front of the skyline of Frankfurt. © Jörg Halisch/dpa
The Berlin police said that a 40-year-old had lost a hand when igniting a signal rocket in the Kaulsdorf district. Immediately after ignition, the rocket exploded in his hand. During a search, further pyrotechnics were found and confiscated from him.
Police arrive in Leipzig with water cannon - to extinguish
In the left-wing alternative Leipzig district of Connewitz, objects were thrown at a police station, said a police spokesman on Monday morning. No people were injured. About 3000 people gathered around midnight at an intersection, according to the information they lit four fires from pyrotechnics, garbage and construction site barriers. The police arrived with water cannons to extinguish the fire. The police spokesman spoke of a "typical New Year's Eve night".
After Corona break, high-altitude fireworks in Berlin again
In front of the Brandenburg Gate in the capital, tens of thousands of people celebrated the New Year at the traditional New Year's Eve party. For the first time since the Corona pandemic, there were fireworks displays. About 45,000 visitors came to the ZDF New Year's Eve party despite intermittent rain and high security precautions. According to the organizers, the festival mile between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column was designed for 65,000 people. ZDF broadcast the party live again as a show called "Welcome 2024". Ayliva, Luca Hänni and Roy Bianco & The Abbrunzati Boys provided the atmosphere.
Tens of thousands on the streets of Hamburg and Frankfurt
In Hamburg, tens of thousands of people also started the new year 2024 with big fireworks and partying. People crowded together at the Landungsbrücken, for example, followed the New Year's Eve fireworks. Around 8000,10 visitors had come there alone, as a police spokesman said shortly after midnight. There are 000,15 to 000,<> people on the Reeperbahn, but more are still pouring in. There was also a celebration in downtown Frankfurt - peacefully for the time being, according to the police. Of course, firecrackers and rockets were also fired into crowds again, said a police spokesman early Monday morning. The officials had taken consistent action against this.
The world is gradually welcoming the New Year
In large parts of the world, 2024 began hours before midnight in Germany. In Sydney, a mega light show lit up the sky at 14:00 CET against the world-famous backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. By the time of the German evening, it was already the year 2024 in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China, India and Dubai.
Sydney welcomes the New Year with a gigantic fireworks display. © Dan Himbrechts/AAP/dpa
An hour after Germany, the people of London welcomed the New Year - and there was a special anniversary there. With the chimes of Big Ben and a spectacular fireworks display at the London Eye, the British capital rang in the year. 100 years ago, the BBC first broadcast the ringing of the bells of the clock tower of the Paralment live at the turn of the year. Until then, the typical sound was only audible to the people in the immediate vicinity of the London borough of Westminster.
Whole globe only on January 1 at 1:13 p.m. in the new year
In total, it takes 26 hours for the whole globe to slip into the new year. American Samoa, which lies just 220 kilometers east of Samoa on the other side of the International Date Line, will be the last country - twelve hours after Germany. At 13:00 CET on 1 January, only two uninhabited islands will follow. Dpa