The railway and transport union (EVG) has criticized plans proposed by Federal Minister of Justice, Stefanie Hubig (SPD), to decriminalize fare evasion. Ralf Damde, the overall works council chairman for DB Regio, told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that fare evasion is no minor offense. According to him, “Anyone who obtains services at the expense of others must also be held accountable”. Damde argued that, especially following the deadly assault by a fare evader on a Deutsche Bahn conductor earlier this February, decriminalization is the completely wrong move. He expressed his expectation that the state should support those who maintain order and safety in public transport, rather than those who exploit the system.
Damde stated that since the minister’s plans became public, he has received numerous messages from employees within the regional subsidiary, ranging from disappointed to outraged. He noted that these employees are frequently subjected to verbal or physical attacks. “They are asking themselves: Why am I even doing this job if this is what politics comes up with?” he described.
Despite being an SPD member, Damde expressed a sense of disconnect with his own party, stating, “I feel that the Social Democrats no longer perceive the real living conditions of people out in the world”. He maintained that the situation in local and regional transport remains highly critical and that lighter penalties would not change that at all. He concluded by advising Hubig that she needs to leave the “Berlin bubble”.