According to Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, anyone who attacks rescue workers or police officers on New Year’s Eve should definitely face criminal consequences.
The SPD politician, on the other hand, does not consider it necessary to change the law again. “The penal regulations for the protection of police and rescue workers have – rightly – been tightened considerably in recent years,” said Faeser on Monday. Now it shows how necessary the change in the law of 2017 was.
It is crucial that these penal provisions are now applied and enforced with all consistency against “chaotic and violent criminals”. “Sensitive prison sentences can be imposed with it,” emphasized the minister.
The federal chairman of the police union (GdP), Jochen Kopelke, said: “Every targeted attack on a person in uniform must lead to investigations and a court hearing with a harsh sentence”. In addition, every attack on police employees must be recorded, because this is the only way to create a realistic picture. Good psychological and pastoral care for the emergency services as well as sufficient service sports, cures and rehabilitation periods are also necessary.
Police and rescue workers under fire
In several cities, police and rescue workers were hindered in their work on New Year’s Eve and fired on with firecrackers and rockets. Nowhere, however, did these attacks take on such proportions as in Berlin. The fire brigade and police counted a total of 33 injured emergency services in the capital.
In May 2017, the Law on Strengthening the Protection of Law Enforcement Officers and Rescue Workers came into force. Since then, attacks on police officers, investigating public prosecutors, military police and other security forces can be punished with up to five years in prison. Previously, there had only been a special threat of punishment for attacks during enforcement actions such as arrests, since the reform also during any other official action. Likewise protected are by the change forces of the fire brigade, the civil protection and the rescue services.
