Federal Government Plans Harsher Punishments After New Year’s Eve Attacks on Police and Firefighters
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) told the Bild newspaper that “chaotic individuals and perpetrators of violence, who attack the emergency services and put people’s health at risk with dangerous explosives, only understand harsh measures.” “We want it to be the case in the future that, if police officers, paramedics, or doctors are lured into dangerous traps, the maximum penalty will be up to five years of imprisonment.”
The government will allow the federal police to deploy stun guns across the board to stop dangerous perpetrators and protect the emergency services, Faeser said. “The draft law should be passed as soon as possible.”
Federal Justice Minister Volker Wissing (formerly FDP) also spoke out in favor of consistent and swift punishment. “What’s important is that the criminal provisions are consistently applied” he said to the newspaper. “The perpetrators must quickly feel the harshness of the law. That must be the top priority now” Wissing said.
“Our Criminal Code already offers the possibility of strictly punishing attacks, as we saw on New Year’s Eve. Some individual adjustments are sensible, however. We, as the Federal Government, have been working on a draft law since September that provides for a harsher punishment of attacks on police officers, rescue personnel, and firefighters” the Justice Minister said. “The Bundestag should pass it before the election.