Deepening the subject matter outside of school, maybe also promoting team spirit and all that in beautiful nature, not far from Berlin: This is how a school class from the capital imagined a planned math camp in southern Brandenburg, which has now turned into a nightmare. Because of racist insults, the students prematurely canceled their trip to a holiday resort, the police said on Monday. The state security determined because of sedition and threat. Politicians, the institution concerned and the community condemned the incident, the Berlin education administration promised help. Previously, the “B.Z.” reported about the incident.
Tenth-grade students at the Lina-Morgenstern-Gemeinschaftsschule in Berlin-Kreuzberg had rented a math camp with teachers at a holiday facility in Heidesee (Dahme-Spreewald). Also staying with them was a group from the region celebrating someone’s 18th birthday. The young people were obviously bothered by the other guests from Berlin, some of whom were obviously of Muslim faith and wore headscarves.
According to the police, the school class from this group was racially abused and threatened on the night of Sunday. Officials said they were able to prevent a physical altercation. According to the Berlin education administration, the young people were drunk and some masked.
Woidke condemns the racist incident
Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke condemned the racist incident in the leisure facility as “disgusting” and “terrifying”. “We will not tolerate right-wing extremism in Brandenburg, we will not tolerate racism in Brandenburg, that’s the clear message,” Woidke told RBB on Monday. For this purpose, all possibilities offered by a strong democracy would be used. First, however, the investigative authorities would have to do their job, after the results one could then draw further conclusions.
After the racist insults, state security is now investigating the crime. It is about the accusation of hate speech and threat. The identities of 28 people had been determined, said a police spokeswoman for the dpa on Monday. It is still unclear whether all of them are suspects. Questioning the students about what happened will take some time. Police officers had already questioned the first witnesses during the night.
Class cancels camp
After the incident, the class drove back to Berlin early on Sunday, and some parents picked up their children on site. A spokesman for the education administration spoke of an isolated case, there was no accumulation of such events. He is not aware of any other recent case, the spokesman said.
According to the Turkish Federation in Berlin-Brandenburg, such cases are nothing new. “We’ve seen something like this more often,” said board spokeswoman Ayşe Demir. Racism has increased in all areas of society, said the spokeswoman, including public transport, for example. However, it makes her particularly sad when children and young people are affected by hostilities of this kind. In this context, Demir called for a broader sensitization on the part of politicians.
Psychological care
Berlin’s education senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch promised quick help to the young people in Berlin. “Today we will be offering the school students and their parents appointments for psychological processing of what happened.” The crisis and intervention team of the school psychology and inclusion educational advice and support centers was informed immediately, according to the CDU politician.
The facility in Heidesee is a former GDR children’s holiday camp and is still operated as a children’s and youth facility. It offers, among other things, class and day care center trips, club trips with children and young people as well as families. Managing Director Nora Runneck was dismayed. “We strongly condemn any form of xenophobia and racism.” In her five years as an employee, there had never been such an incident.
Politicians are shocked
Mayor Björn Langner (independent) said: “We will work to ensure that racist and discriminatory behavior has no place in our community and that everyone, regardless of origin, religion and skin color, is welcome.” Brandenburg’s Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) called the incident “unacceptable”.
The designated Brandenburg Minister of Education, State Secretary Steffen Freiberg, was “shaken”. “Racist attacks – including verbal ones – are not to be tolerated, I will counter them resolutely.” According to Freiberg, he is counting on the police to identify the perpetrators promptly and the judiciary to examine the criminal consequences.
The Federal Government Commissioner for the East, Carsten Schneider (SPD), called for clarification and consequences for the young people involved. “Creating a climate of openness is the common task of all of us,” he told the editorial network Germany (RND). Parental support is also needed. If this does not succeed, there is a risk of a division in society.
Norman Heise, chairman of the State Parents’ Committee in Berlin, expressed respect for teachers and students who “reacted calmly and calmly to the racist insults.” The departure of the class had “prevented worse”.
Report B.Z.
