By Jaime Ortega.
Six busloads of police officers were deployed yesterday at 14:00 hours on the streets of the central districts of Altona Hamburg , St. Pauli and Sternschanze . Held indefinitely by the authorities of the city-state which was declared a “danger zone ” .
This kind of state of emergency allows police to search and detain anyone without concrete suspicion. Agents made many street controls, searching for random documentation asking citizens to find their way in order to ” control relevant groups of people ” according to police spokesman Mirko Streiber .
The regional leader of the Free Democrats , Carl- Edgar Jarchow , criticized these measures as ” disproportionate” and spokesman for the Greens , Antje Möller , reported that ” it is restricting the movement of persons on a massive scale and arbitrarily” also referring to suggestions citizenship housebound just after 20:00.
If the police have decided to take such extreme measures is because of the unrest shown in recent days , which began with a rally for the maintenance of the cultural center Rote Flora left , on 21 December, in which 120 police and about 500 demonstrators were injured .
From that time , organized groups that meet close to 200 persons have systematically attacked police stations and administrative offices in nightly coordinated interventions , as well as beatings individuals between 15 to 20 pairs of agents so far patrolling the streets that came in pairs without more protection than a club.
“The situation has degenerated over a widespread wave of attacks on police and police forces with stones , bottles and incendiary homemade devices ” confirmed the spokesperson , who feared an upsurge in violence over the weekend .
Aggression and riots
“For the first time in a while I see an aggressiveness not seen before. The worst riots in years,” said a representative of the police union , after news that there 117 police officers injured, 16 of them hospitalized .
The latest report of arrests confirmed that there 16 people in prison because of these violent disturbances , but does not provide data on wounded protesters because of batons, water cannons and pepper spray , used generously in police responses to ” violent manifestations coming from the extreme left. ”
The local radio broadcast appeals for people to show ” civil courage ” and protect the policemen attacked on the street , but the declaration of the “danger zone ” has not only increased the fear of citizens to intervene . Tomorrow will be a special meeting of the commission of Interior of the regional parliament that will try to reassess the emergency .
“Meanwhile, the danger zone will be manage prudently , while ensuring the safety of the officers ,” said Streiber spokesman, who was not afraid to warn : “We want to be very clear with if the Hamburg police exhaust all legal options to protect the life and physical integrity of its officials, we will.”
