Frankfurt: 54 arrests following major riots on Halloween night
Following disorder in Frankfurt's city centre on Saturday evening, 54 people were arrested and 100 police officers injured. Interior Minister Poseck is calling for tougher penalties for the rioters.
Violence and looting in Frankfurt city centre
Following serious unrest in Frankfurt's city centre on Saturday evening, police drew up an initial assessment on Sunday: 54 arrests, 100 injured police officers, five looted shops. According to Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU), a total of 87 criminal charges were also filed, 1,225 dispersal orders were issued and 366 people were stopped and checked.
The riots began following a Gen-Z demonstration, when a smaller group turned violent. Police attribute the subsequent looting and disorder on the Zeil and throughout the city centre to a different group of people. According to operation commander Erik Hessenmüller, it was a difficult situation for the police, who had to carefully distinguish who was involved when.
According to police assessment, the nocturnal riots were perpetrated mainly by young men with a migrant background. The groups that regularly meet on weekends in Frankfurt's city centre are already known to police, said police chief Stefan Müller. Until now, these had been classified as "experience-oriented"; however, the events had shown they were willing to use violence. No political motive was apparent.
The 54 people arrested range in age from 13 to 29 years old. According to Interior Minister Poseck, they predominantly possess German citizenship. Among those arrested were both residents of Frankfurt and people from other parts of Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Police said some rioters may have taken images of looting in France as a model. Which shops were targeted appeared to be largely random. A total of five shops were looted in all. An firearms shop was also attacked, where police arrested several people and seized alarm guns.
Police were also attacked with firecrackers and Molotov cocktails, sometimes in ambushes. Rioters erected barricades. At times there were up to 30 operational sites simultaneously. The large area with numerous streets, small alleyways and courtyards significantly hampered the police operation, according to those responsible. Of the 100 injured police officers, one was seriously injured after being struck in the face by a stone.
Calls for tougher penalties
Interior Minister Poseck described the riots as a "terrible orgy of violence". It had been an extraordinarily difficult night for the emergency services. The group of an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 troublemakers had been predominantly "characterised by migrants", he said. At the same time, he emphasised that those arrested were mostly German citizens.
There must now be "no false taboos", Poseck demanded. He was putting his faith "in detention and deterrent sentences". The night must have clear consequences, and perpetrators must feel the "full force of the rule of law". The Interior Minister announced he wanted to take stronger action against structures of "people willing to use violence with a migrant background" in order to identify possible dangers early.
Minister-President Boris Rhein (CDU) said he was shocked: "Anyone who behaves like the attackers in Frankfurt city centre is placing themselves outside our society. We will carefully assess perpetrators, perpetrator groups and the course of events and draw our conclusions."
Frankfurt's Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) said he was "stunned and angry". Unlike Poseck, Josef did not emphasise the origin of the alleged perpetrators. "I couldn't care less what passport someone has or where their parents were born", said the mayor. Those who use violence must face the legal consequences.
The organisers of the Gen-Z demonstration explicitly distanced themselves from the riots. A spokesman for the initiative "Gen Z regelt" stated that the organisers had no influence over events after the end of the rallies. On Saturday evening, the initiative had stated on Instagram that they distanced themselves from "any form of violence and violent actions by other groups or individuals" that had not been part of the demonstrations.
Source: BILD