After New Year’s Eve, the Police Union (GdP) warned of an increase in life-threatening risk-taking behavior in parts of the population. “Five deaths due to severe firework explosions is a terrible balance for the first day of the new year” said GdP Federal Chairman Jochen Kopelke to the Funke Media Group newspapers (Thursday editions).
The many injured and videos on social media showed that normal firework no longer sufficed for some. “It’s no longer about just having fun, but about having more explosive power, big explosions, and a lot of fire” Kopelke lamented. Homemade explosives and illegal firecrackers – such things should not belong to New Year’s Eve.
Looking at the attacks on police officers on New Year’s Eve, Kopelke called for swift consequences for the attackers: “In Leipzig, Munich, Cologne, and Hamburg, we were targeted and injured. This must have swift and tangible consequences for the perpetrators and a tangible impact on the left-extremist scene.”
Kopelke also criticized the growing disrespect towards police officers on duty: “I can no longer tolerate this macho behavior on the streets and in social media.” Young men from socially disadvantaged areas kept thinking they controlled the streets, the police union official said.
In general, the police’s deployment tactics had been successful in many places. With a very high number of police officers deployed, many people could “celebrate the new year of 2025 safely and joyfully” Kopelke said. “This, however, means that the police require even more personnel to protect the population and rescue services.” Police employees were starting the new year once again overburdened. “We are at the limit of our personnel and legal capabilities.” The upcoming federal government must invest clearly more in domestic security.