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Armed Islamist gang terrorizing ‘immoral’ Chechen women in Berlin: report

A group of armed Chechen men have beaten or threatened several women in Berlin in recent weeks for not abiding by their retrograde understanding of the Quran, Tagesspiegel reports.

Armed Islamist gang terrorizing 'immoral' Chechen women in Berlin: report
A Salafist hands out Qurans in central Berlin in 2012. Photo: DPA

Two young Chechen women have been beaten up by the group, sustaining serious injuries, while two more have been threatened and chased. A man has also been attacked and beaten, the Berlin daily reported on Wednesday after interviewing several victims.

The newspaper has also seen a video made by the group and distributed within the capital’s Chechen community.

In the video, a masked man points a gun at the camera. He claims that some Chechen women in Europe are doing “unspeakable” things, adding that “we will punish them” if the occasion presents itself.

Claiming that the group has 80 members who have sworn their allegiance on the Quran, the man threatens: “We are coming onto the streets. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Don’t say you didn’t know.”

Members of the Chechen community told Tagesspiegel that the group consists of up to 100 members, that they are armed, and that their leaders have experience in war.

Berlin state security, responsible for investigating politically-motivated crimes, have now taken over the investigation, according to the report.

Berlin police have refused to comment on the story, and were not available when The Local tried to reach them on Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday the Interior Ministry released annual figures on extremist movements in Germany, claiming that Salafists – people who adhere to a particularly hard-line interpretation of Islam – have swelled in number from 8,350 in 2015 to now 10,000.

With DPA

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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