The head of Germany’s Police Union, Jochen Kopelke, has issued a stark warning regarding the widespread proliferation of fireworks, extending far beyond the traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations and increasingly posing a threat within football stadiums and extremist circles. His renewed call for a comprehensive firework ban is being framed as a direct response to the escalating number of attacks on law enforcement personnel.
Kopelke, in a contentious discussion with Felix Martens, the managing director of the Federal Association for Pyrotechnics and Fireworks, highlighted the deeply concerning lack of regulation surrounding firework sales. Currently, there are no limits on the quantity an individual can purchase, resulting in massive volumes being sold, volumes that far exceed individual consumption levels. He alleged that these stockpiles are being accumulated by both football fan groups and individuals aligned with both left and right-wing extremist ideologies. While acknowledging that a single, legally purchased firework isn’t inherently problematic, the aggregate impact of unrestricted sales is proving dangerous.
The patterns observed on New Year’s Eve are consistently troubling: groups of intoxicated young men misusing fireworks and endangering the public, alongside incidents of children and adolescents handling explosives without authorization. More alarmingly, Kopelke emphasized a worrying new trend – the increasing frequency and severity of attacks on police officers. “These changes require a response” he stated, challenging the prevailing perception that “everything is allowed” on New Year’s Day, a sentiment he described as “extremely dangerous.
The current system necessitates the redeployment of police officers from across the country to support flashpoint areas. This, Kopelke argued, generates “an enormous nationwide burden for the police that cannot be solved by merely establishing localized prohibition zones” implicitly criticizing existing, piecemeal attempts at control.
Martens, while stopping short of fully endorsing a blanket ban, indicated a willingness to explore compromise solutions. He suggested a greater focus on combating the illegal fireworks trade, emphasizing collaboration between the pyrotechnics industry, the fire department and Berlin’s accident hospital to raise awareness among young people. Furthermore, Martens expressed support for a targeted ban specifically on certain types of fireworks – those containing flash powder – acknowledging the disproportionate risk they pose. The debate underscores a growing political tension surrounding public safety, law enforcement resources and the potential curtailment of freedoms in response to escalating societal challenges.