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Explosion in Kreuzberg bar amid rising criminal gang activity in Berlin

A targeted explosion which ripped through a Kreuzberg Shisha bar on Monday morning is the latest in a series of escalating gang attacks across the German capital.

Explosion in Kreuzberg bar amid rising criminal gang activity in Berlin
Police in Kreuzberg on a previous operation. Photo: DPA

At around 4:30am on Monday morning, a group of unidentified assailants smashed a hole in the wall of the bar in Oranienstraße, before placing and detonating an explosive device.

Although the bar itself was badly damaged, no-one was injured in the explosion.

The police’s Organized Crime Department has been assigned to follow up on the case. While Arabic gang activity has been on the rise across several German cities, it has been particularly prevalent in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district. 

A series of apparent revenge attacks in recent months have resulted in concerns that the police are losing control of the streets. 

In early September, a known gang figure named by police as ‘Nidal R’ was shot and killed in broad daylight by four assailants while walking through Templehofer Feld in the city’s neighbouring Neukölln district with his wife and children.

Over 100 people witnessed the shooting, which took place on a busy Sunday in the popular city park. 

The murdered man had been warned by police just hours earlier that he may be in danger from rival gangs. 

In the wake of the man’s funeral, police called for calm and threatened to significant repercussions for anyone planning to execute a revenge attack. 

Police guard Nidal R's funeral in Berlin's Schoeneberg district. Photo: DPA

Police believe a September attack on another Kreuzberg shisha bar, which followed shortly after the Templehof shooting, was related to Nidal R’s assassination. 

In that attack, more than 30 assailants armed with batons descended on the Manteuffelstrasse bar, threatening customers and destroying furniture. By the time police arrived, the attackers – along with the customers and employees of the bar – had fled. 

It follows two further attacks on establishments in Treptow and Kreuzberg during the months of September and October. 

Despite the apparent increase in gang activity, local business owners have said they aren’t concerned by the escalating violence. 

Julian Boyce, who owns Mexican restaurant Santa Maria – located just metres from where the explosion took place – said the gangs didn’t pose a threat to others in the neighbourhood. 

“It’s something I’ve heard about, but we’ve never really come across any of it. I’ve always made it a priority to be friendly to our neighbours – we’re pretty friendly with everyone,” Boyce said. 

“If you get mixed up in it then it could be a problem, but they (criminal gangs) tend to keep to themselves,” he added.

Neukolln mayor Martin Hikel has called for an end to the violence, telling a Berlin Internal Affairs Committee meeting that the “extreme brutality (of the gangs) endangers social peace”. 

Hikel said that an estimated eight Arabic gangs made up of an approximate 1,000 people were active in his district. 

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Member comments

  1. Where is ” Mama Merkel ” and allowing all the peace loving Arabs into a lovel country like Germany, now all the peace loving people are destroying one of my favorite places to visit.

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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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