New Year
Waiting for the New Year: Concerns about safety characterize New Year’s Eve
The turn of the year is almost upon us – but the mood is tense. photo
© Lars Penning/dpa
2023 is over, 2024 is coming: but there is hardly any exuberant anticipation. Fear of riots in Berlin and a terror alarm for Cologne Cathedral dominate the debate before New Year’s Eve.
The new year 2024 will be welcomed by billions of people on Monday night. In Germany, fear of riots dampened anticipation The turn of the year – especially in Berlin. In Cologne, after the terrorist alarm for the cathedral, the police want to strictly secure the world-famous church building on New Year’s Eve. The situation in the German flood areas is tense; parts of Lower Saxony and the south of Saxony-Anhalt are affected.
Doctors, animal protection and environmental associations had again called for a ban on firecrackers. Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) told “Bild am Sonntag” that he considered a general ban on firecrackers to be disproportionate. “Personally, I’m not a big fan of it because of our dogs, but ultimately everyone should decide for themselves.”
The weather is expected to be windy and humid on the last day of the year – but according to the German Weather Service, in the hours around midnight it will be mostly dry with temperatures up to 7 degrees.
Gaza war worsens the situation
After riots at the turn of the year last year, the Berlin police are facing one of their biggest New Year’s Eve operations. The Gaza war following the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas on October 7th has made the conditions even worse.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced a “tough crackdown” in the “Tagesspiegel”. The security authorities are extremely vigilant and are keeping a close eye on the situation. Nobody wants to experience senseless violence, said the SPD politician. The federal government supports the Berlin police.
At least since New Year’s Eve 2015/16 in Cologne with numerous sexual attacks on women on the cathedral plate, a security debate has repeatedly dominated the days around New Year’s Eve.
Berlin
In Berlin, 3,000 police officers from the capital and other federal states are on the streets at night, according to police chief Barbara Slowik. 1,000 additional officers are deployed in 220 patrol cars and in the 37 police stations. There are also 500 federal police officers at the train stations. The fire brigade and other aid organizations want to be active with a total of more than 1,500 emergency services. The police have defined three hotspot areas, including northern Neukölln. There are also no-gun zones, for example at Alexanderplatz and on part of Sonnenallee. The ban applies from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.
Private fireworks are also prohibited at the Brandenburg Gate, where the traditional New Year’s Eve party takes place. There will be fireworks there for the first time since the corona pandemic. New this time is an entry fee of ten euros. According to the organizers, 65,000 people can come. ZDF is broadcasting the celebration live again as a show called “Welcome 2024”. It is moderated by Andrea Kiewel and Johannes B. Kerner.
Cologne
In Cologne, the police want to prepare so that they can counter “possible attacks,” said the head of operations. The emergency services will patrol the city area with submachine guns if necessary. Cathedral provost Guido Assmann felt much safer thanks to the police, as he told WDR television. Mayor Henriette Reker said on WDR that it was appropriate that so many police forces were being brought together.
Before Christmas, security authorities had received information about a possible attack plan by an Islamist group, which was related to New Year’s Eve. The security precautions at Cologne Cathedral have already been increased for the Christmas celebrations. The cathedral was closed to tourists until further notice.
Global
There are also stricter security precautions in France. Out of concern about a terrorist attack, the French Interior Minister announced a heavy police presence. 90,000 police officers have been mobilized across the country, as well as 5,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of firefighters. Since the fatal attack on a teacher by an Islamist in October, France has been on the highest terror alert level. At the beginning of December, an Islamist stabbed a German tourist at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Hundreds of thousands are expected to attend the celebrations on the Champs-Élysées on New Year’s Eve.
In Sydney there will be celebrations again at the Opera House, in Dubai at the tallest building in the world, in London at the “London Eye” Ferris wheel, in Rio de Janeiro on Copacabana Beach and in New York at Times Square.
It takes 26 hours between 11:00 a.m. CET on December 31st and 1:00 p.m. CET on January 1st for the entire globe to slip into the new year. 2024 will have 366 days as a leap year.