Berlin “Security Summit”
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Görlitzer Park should have lockable entrances and video surveillance
There have been problems with drug trafficking and other crime in Görlitzer Park for years. The ruling Wegner demands that Görli be “taken back”. New measures were now decided at a security summit.
- Fence, video surveillance and more light for Görlitzer Park decided
- Spranger expects resistance from Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg against measures
- New project group against clan crime in preparation
The Görlitzer Park in Berlin-Kreuzberg is to help fight drug trafficking and other crimes lockable entrances, video surveillance in certain areas and more lighting. Temporary closures, especially at night, should be possible, said Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) on Friday after a so-called Senate security summit.
Place selected areas under video surveillance
Video surveillance should not be used across the board, but in selected areas such as the entrances, said Spranger. Police mobile video trailers should be used. Bushes and trees should be cut back and buildings in the park renovated.
In addition, additional opportunities and spaces for drug consumption are to be created in the park and at Leopoldplatz in Wedding. There will also be more toilets at both locations, some of which will also be staffed. Social work should also be strengthened.
When asked, Spranger did not give a specific date when lockable entrances could be built. She indicated that the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district and its mayor Clara Herrmann (Greens) were against it. “It’s still a bit bulky.”
But they hope for an agreement, including on costs. But one thing is clear, says Spranger: “Of course we will build this fence.” There will be revolving doors and then the park will be closed at night. “If we see things calming down in this park, then we can reopen. But only then.” The park on the site of the former Görlitz train station is already largely surrounded by a wall, which can, however, be easily climbed over.
Wegner also calls on districts to take action
Wegner said it’s not a problem of just two districts, but a problem “that extends across the city.” Görlitzer Park is a “symbol of ignorance” and people have “looked the other way and sometimes glossed over it” for “many, many years”. This time is now over. “The misunderstood tolerance of the past few years was the wrong path.”
Even before the “security summit” in the Red City Hall on Friday, Wegner had emphasized once again that the situation in many parks could not remain this way. Görlitzer Park, for example, is now a symbol of violence and crime. However, there is no single, simple measure to ensure security there.
You need a mix of repression and prevention, explained Wegner. It’s also about financing; the Senate will live up to its responsibility. The governing mayor also demanded the same from the affected districts.
In addition to concrete measures on site, fundamentally better cooperation between the authorities is also necessary, says Wegner. That’s what they would have Riots on New Year’s Eve shown. The fire brigade alone counted 39 attacks on emergency services at the turn of the year. There were also attacks afterwards: by August 31st, the Berlin fire brigade had counted 106 attacks – including insults, physical attacks or threats. For comparison: there were 140 in 2022 as a whole.
Clan crime is also in focus
At the same time, a project group “Phenomenon-oriented combating of organized crime including clan crime” is to be set up to combat clan crime. This includes a holistic and comprehensive look at the entire phenomenon of organized crime and a concentration on certain business models such as illegal car rentals, said Justice Senator Felor Badenberg (independent).
The Senate once again announced that it would expand the use of body cameras on police uniforms, create legal requirements for the use of video cameras in places with a lot of crime, and enable preventative detention for up to five days.
Topics: drug dealing in parks and New Year’s Eve riots
The Senate and the district mayors of Mitte and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Stefanie Remlinger and Clara Herrmann (both Greens), as well as the heads of the police and fire departments took part in the security summit. The trigger for the meeting was Rape of a 27-year-old woman by several men in Görlitzer Park in Kreuzberg in June. The police have now caught several suspects and the investigation is ongoing.
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, September 8th, 2023, 8 a.m