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CRIME

Teens arrested for brutal metro attack

Four teenagers have been arrested for beating a man into a coma in a Berlin metro station. The attack has caused widespread outrage for its senselessness and brutality.

Teens arrested for brutal metro attack
Surveillance video footage of the attack. Photo: DPA

The police took the teens, three aged 17 and one only 14, into custody on Tuesday under suspicion they assaulted a 30-year-old house painter in a U-Bahn station in the German capital’s Lichtenberg district.

The teenagers allegedly attacked the victim and his coworker late on Friday evening. While one man could escape with minor injuries, the other was beaten and kicked so badly he remains in a coma with serious brain trauma.

Berlin’s Interior Minister Ehrhart Körting said on Wednesday he was shocked by the sheer brutality of the crime.

The teens, reportedly with Albanian, Kenyan, Kosovar and Iraqi backgrounds, claimed the painter and his colleague had provoked them by chanting the Nazi salute “Sieg Heil” at them. However, the authorities said they believe this is likely only an attempt to justify the attack after speaking to witnesses.

The assailants reportedly do not have previous criminal records, but are likely to be charged with attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm.

The authorities also lamented the apparent cowardice of bystanders for not trying to stop the attack.

“Particularly shocking for us is that during the attack several people walked by without helping,” an investigator told Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel.

Even worse, the police are investigating the possibility an unknown witness stole the victim’s jacket as he lay unconscious on the U-Bahn platform.

The beating is reminiscent of an incident in Munich in 2009 that led to the death of Dominik Brunner. Two German teens beat and kicked the 50-year-old businessman at an S-Bahn commuter train platform after he tried to protect a group of younger children from their bullying. Brunner died shortly afterwards of heart failure.

The Local/DAPD/mry

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BERLIN

Disruption on roads in Berlin as farmers stage fresh protest

Farmers in Germany launched fresh protests in Berlin on Friday to call for the government to support agriculture, resulting in disruption across the city.

Disruption on roads in Berlin as farmers stage fresh protest

Berlin police said there were “considerable traffic disruptions” across the city and the outskirts and especially around Straße des 17. Juni, the government district and the Bundesrat .

Since Thursday morning, Straße des 17. Juni and other streets around the government district in Berlin-Tiergarten have been closed. There will also be closures on Leipziger Straße between Wilhelmstraße and Leipziger Platz through Friday.

A planned rally is due to take place from 12 noon to 5pm on Friday with tractors and lorries around Platz des 18. März, near Brandenburg Gate. 

The action is being held to protest the government’s agricultural policies.

It comes as relief measures – including reduced bureaucracy and tax relief for farmers – went to the Bundesrat on Friday to be voted on as part of the Growth Opportunities Act.

However, farmers are still pushing for their original demand of fully keeping the agricultural diesel subsidy.

READ ALSO: Analysis: Why are German farmers so angry?

Farmers in Germany have been staging similar protests against the policies of the government since the start of the year.

Where are protests taking place?

Here’s a look at the routes farmers are expected to take in Friday into Berlin where disruption will occur:

Frohnau: From the state border via B96 Berliner Straße, Roedernallee, Lindauer Allee, Residenzstraße, Markstraße, Schulstraße, Luxemburger Straße, Föhrer Straße, An der Putlitzbrücke, Stromstraße, Lessingstraße, Altonaer Straße and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Lichtenrade: From the state border via the B96 Kirchhainer Damm to Tempelhofer Damm and then via Mehringdamm, Hallesches Ufer, Reichpietschufer, Klingelhöferstraße, Hofjägerallee and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Mahlsdorf: From the state border via the B1/5 to Alexanderstraße and then via Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Unter den Linden, Wilhelmstraße, Dorotheenstraße, Scheidemannstraße, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, Spreeweg and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Staaken: From the state border via B5 Heerstraße to Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Kaiserdamm, Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Straße des 17. Juni and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni.

As we’ve already. mentioned, there will also be road closures on Leipziger Straße between Wilhelmstraße and Leipziger Platz.

Farmers at the Straße des 17. Juni early morning on Friday in Berlin in a demo for better agricultural policy.

Farmers at the Straße des 17. Juni early morning on Friday in Berlin in a demo for better agricultural policy. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jörg Carstensen

A large police presence was in place around the federal ministries and parliamentary buildings.

“We are taking preparatory measures before the farmers’ rally so that parliamentary work can take place smoothly on Friday,” said a spokesperson for the Berlin police on Thursday. 

During previous demonstrations, tactics – such as throwing manure and blockade attempts – have been controversial. 

On one occasion in January more than a hundred farmers blocked a ferry port as Economics Minister Robert Habeck tried to return from a holiday with his wife on the North Friesian island of Hooge.

According to media reports, some of the protestors tried to storm the ferry that the Habeck and his wife were on, preventing the Green Party politician from disembarking and forcing police to intervene. 

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