The police chief: Jews and homosexuals are not safe in Berlin

Published 20 November 2024 at 13.51

Foreign. Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik is causing an uproar after urging the city's Jews and LGBTQP people to be especially careful in neighborhoods with large Arab populations.

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In an interview with the Berliner Zeitung, Barbara Slowik highlights an increasing threat to these groups and talks about areas where terrorist sympathies are openly expressed.

– Unfortunately, there are some areas where the majority of residents are of Arab descent and where open anti-Semitism is expressed. I would advise people who wear a kippah or openly show their sexual orientation to be extra careful in these areas, says the police chief.

Demonstrations against Israel have become a daily occurrence in Berlin, which, according to Barbara Slowik, has created an unmanageable situation for the police.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, the Berlin police have opened over 6,200 preliminary investigations into anti-Semitic crimes, including hate propaganda, vandalism and violent crime. Of these investigations, 1,300 concern violent crimes, including attacks on police officers during protests.

At the same time, the Berlin police are facing major financial problems. Barbara Slowik highlights budget shortfalls that affect both resources and infrastructure. Among other things, 50 million euros are missing to modernize the vehicle fleet, and 40 percent of the police cars are often out of order.