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According to information from SPIEGEL, the Berlin police arrested a man carrying a revolver during the demonstrations against the federal government’s crown policy over the weekend. According to an internal situation report, the Interior Ministry blames the specter of “Reich citizens” and “brotherhoods” for the occupation of the Reichstag stairs.
According to Berlin Interior Senator Andreas Geisel (SPD), up to 38,000 people took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday in protest against Corona’s protection measures. Because hygiene regulations were not observed, the police broke up the demonstration. A group of protesters broke through the barriers at the Reichstag building at night. Among other things, they flew imperial flags. (Read here: “Storm damage to democracy” – on the devastating symbolism of the images)
“About 50 participants from the ‘Reichsbürger’ spectrum and members of ‘brotherhoods’ broke down the barriers that had been erected in the Reichstagswiese area and entered the fenced room,” according to SPIEGEL information in the report. As a result, up to 400 people appeared on the stairs. “They were pushed around by the emergency services using physical force and irritants.” There was no damage to the Reichstag building.
In total there were 316 “custodial or restrictive measures”. 131 preliminary investigations were launched and 33 police officers were injured during the weekend’s operations.
“I’m also very ashamed of these photos from Saturday.”
In the internal committee of the House of Representatives, the head of police of Berlin, Barbara Slowik, spoke in the morning about the events of Saturday. “I’m also very ashamed of these photos from Saturday,” she said. “In the future, we will protect the barriers to the Reichstag more clearly, even more closely.” The exact procedure will be discussed with the Bundestag police.
Slowik also noted, however, that the police immediately intervened: “It took a few minutes, but here the power of the images counts.” The police will analyze the situation in order to significantly strengthen the protection of the building with barriers and police in future situations.
According to Slowik, the police tried to prevent the influx of the large demonstration to the Reichstagswiese around 7 pm As a result, many police officers would have been placed side by side between the Reichstag and the Tiergarten. At the same time, a spokeswoman who remained unknown on the stage of the “Reichsbürger” demonstration directly in front of the Reichstag called for “a closed assault on the Reichstag stairs.” Therefore, the police had “considerable pressure on the barrier line from two sides.” A group of 300 to 400 people managed to “overcome the barriers on very short notice and run up the stairs.” Most were people from the “Reichsbürger” scene and, to a lesser extent, also protesters “who call themselves patriots or vigilantes.”
Bavarian police officers appeared as speakers
Three Bavarian policemen also appeared as speakers at the demonstrations. According to the Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU), they should have been noticed in advance when they participated in such demonstrations. “In any case, some procedures are already underway here,” Herrmann said Monday of “Bild.”
Now it will be verified if there has been a breach of duty and if a disciplinary process is being initiated against the two active police officers and one in retirement. Of course, officials also have freedom of speech and freedom of demonstration, Herrmann said. However, the feeling should not arise that the police are represented there.
“We will review it very critically,” Herrmann said. First, what exactly the three officers said during their speeches must now be determined, Herrmann said. “Those colleagues annoy me.”
