Berlin police accused of racism by Fridays for Future

The organization Fridays for Future has accused the Berlin police of violence and racism. Several activists experienced “brutal, racist police violence” at a meeting in Kreuzberg on the night of July 2, the movement said on its social media channels. According to the organization, “four young black, indigenous and people of color (BIPoC)” were victims. They were "surrounded from four large police buses" by about 20 armed police officers. The allegations sparked outrage online. But the police resisted - and announced details that the climate protectors were apparently hiding.

So far, no complaints of racism, police violence or the like have been received at the police headquarters, a spokesman for the authorities said at the request of the news portal Watson. The spokesman appealed to those who might be affected to put allegations on record. "Only in this way is it possible for us to clarify whether misconduct by police officers has occurred."

On social media, Fridays for Future had accused the emergency services of failing to provide assistance: "The police threatened violence, ignored obvious panic attacks and refused medical care," it said on Instagram.

Portrayal of the police differs from that of the activists

According to Fridays for Future, police officers confiscated the smartphones from some activists and forced them to hand over their passwords. They then left the group. A dark-skinned young man, who had just turned 18, was "targetedly attacked" and "handcuffed". His calls for help were then ignored by emergency services and passers-by.

According to the police logs, however, the evening turned out differently than Fridays for Future portrayed. According to this, police officers carried out an identity check on Skalitzer Straße in Kreuzberg around 11.30 p.m. due to a drug offence. The suspect hid the narcotics and abruptly left when the officers became aware of her.

“However, she was able to be stopped and checked. During the identity check, a group of young people or young adults appeared and went directly to the area of ​​​​police measures," said the spokesman to Watson. There is a high probability that these were the FFF activists.

Group is said to have obstructed the police operation

The group had been advised that they were not allowed to hinder the suspect's control, "but could of course observe them from a distance". According to the police, the young people did not listen to the instructions, but came closer a little later to film the operation with cell phones. "Among other things, recordings are said to have been made while police officers spoke to the suspect, which violated the confidentiality of the (not publicly spoken) word," the police said.

Source: Berliner Zeitung