The racist remarks made by a Berlin police officer during an operation on Friday a week ago are now also the focus of politics. Meanwhile, new backgrounds to the incident are becoming known.
As reported, video sequences appeared on social networks last week showing the action of two officers in the apartment of a family from Syria. In the course of this, one of the officers rules the 28-year-old and the 30-year-old with the sentences “This is my country and you are a guest here”, “Shut up” and “You are here in our country, according to our laws do you have to behave”. At least two of the couple’s children, who were obviously terrified, witnessed the police officers’ ruthless behavior.
The behavior of the officers had drawn massive criticism, and the authority also disapproved of it: “Such behavior is not compatible with the ethical and moral concepts and the model of the Berlin police and will not be tolerated,” said a spokesman for the star. The police announced an investigation against the officer.
Now the Berlin Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger (SPD), also got involved in the incident: “I am in contact with the police chief Barbara Slowik about the police operation. The police must and will fully clarify this,” she told the “Tagesspiegel”. The case was also added to the agenda for Monday’s Home Affairs Committee meeting at short notice.
There, Secretary of State Thorsten Akmann (SPD) said, according to the “Berliner Zeitung”: “We don’t want such an official in Berlin.” The Senate condemns such behavior “strongly”. Police President Slowik announced: “All colleagues who were involved in the operation are included in the disciplinary investigations.”
The “B.Z.” meanwhile reported that the officer in question had already become conspicuous in the past and had been transferred as a punishment. It was an unspecified “incident with a colleague,” the newspaper wrote. However, it was not about racism. According to Stern information from Thursday, the policeman is still on duty.
At a press conference on Saturday, the couple concerned called for consequences for the officials with three left-wing members of the House of Representatives. “First and foremost, we want the police officer to be held accountable,” an interpreter translated their statement, according to “Taz”. “We were surprised and still in shock.” The couple’s children are said to still be afraid when the doorbell rings. When asked how the escalation came about, the couple did not answer at a press conference, according to the “Berliner Morgenpost”.
According to the police, the couple had filed a complaint after the operation for “xenophobic insult” and physical harm in office. The man claims his arm was injured when he was arrested. The video of the incident, which is said to be around 30 minutes long, was secured for the investigation, the police said. Meanwhile, investigations into resistance, physical assault and attempted freeing of prisoners have been initiated against the couple.
Police officers drove to the couple’s home on the morning of September 9 to execute an arrest warrant against the man for fraudulently obtaining benefits. After paying 750 euros and being temporarily tied up, the 30-year-old was released. In addition, according to the police, the officials wanted to conduct a so-called threat speech with the 28-year-old wife. Details are not known.
According to the “Berliner Zeitung”, police chief Slowik left open whether her police authority would apologize to the family concerned, with a view to the ongoing investigation.
Sources: “Tagesspiegel”, “Berliner Zeitung”, “B.Z.”, “Taz”, “Berliner Morgenpost”, Berlin police
