Fireworks-related incidents caused numerous injuries as celebrations turned chaotic
Germany’s New Year’s Eve celebrations were overshadowed by violence and tragic incidents involving fireworks, resulting in five fatalities, dozens of injuries, and hundreds of arrests. The unrest also included attacks on police officers and firefighters.
In Berlin, the emergency services reported unprecedented violence, with firefighters and police targeted during the festivities by fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices. Firefighters responded to 1,892 incidents, and at least 13 attacks on emergency workers were documented.
Berlin police detained 330 people, with one officer severely injured by what the authorities suspect was an illegal firework. The officer underwent surgery, while others faced assaults while managing volatile crowds.
Berlin Schöneberg, migrants using bomb like fireworks to destroy shops and attack police pic.twitter.com/ygqUE0wpkr
The violence was not confined to Berlin. In Leipzig, rioters set fires and built barricades, with approximately 50 individuals throwing fireworks and bottles at police. In Cologne, two officers were injured by firecrackers, and Hamburg experienced similar disturbances.
In Bonn, a disturbing incident occurred when a group of teenagers reportedly fired a rocket at a sleeping homeless man and recorded the act on their phones.
Munich reported a large apartment fire caused by a misfired firework that engulfed a balcony and spread to other floors. The city also saw serious injuries, including a 14-year-old boy who lost parts of his hand and two younger children who suffered burns.
Some people are taking things too far with the fireworks in Berlin
Among the fatalities were two individuals in Saxony, including a 45-year-old man killed while handling a homemade ‘Kugelbomben’ (ball bomb), according to local reports. Illegal and homemade pyrotechnics were cited as significant contributors to the casualties, with hospitals across the country treating burns, facial injuries, and hearing damage.
Germany on News Eve seemed to have more in common with a war zone. Using industrial scale fireworks 5 people were killed & Berlin alone saw 400 arrested. It also saw 30 police officers & a firefighter were injured in confrontations.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser praised the efforts of the emergency services and highlighted the importance of early, decisive action against perpetrators of violence. Berlin alone saw the deployment of over 1,500 emergency workers to address the night’s challenges.
The violence has sparked renewed debate over the private use of fireworks in Germany. Environmental and public safety organizations, including Deutsche Umwelthilfe, reiterated calls for a nationwide ban, describing New Year’s Eve as “a night of horror for countless people.” However, the German Pyrotechnics Association (BVPK) objected, stressing the need to distinguish between legal, regulated fireworks and dangerous homemade explosives.
Jochen Kopelke, the chairman of the police union, stated that fireworks should not endanger lives, adding, “Too many dead, too many injured, too many police deployed.” Christine Behle, the deputy chairwoman of the first responders’ union, condemned the attacks, saying violence against emergency personnel should never be accepted as a workplace hazard.
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