Hundreds arrested in Germany after New Year’s fireworks display turns violent – Nacional

The German government on Wednesday condemned a series of incidents on New Year’s Eve in which police officers and firefighters were attacked and injured, mostly with fireworks.

Revelers across the country traditionally welcome the New Year by setting off a large number of fireworks in public places. But the latest celebrations were marred by the use of fireworks against emergency workers.

In Berlin, 30 police officers and one fireman were injured in clashes or attacks during New Year’s Eveleading to 400 arrests, city officials said. Hundreds of police officers from across the country have been deployed to the capital to help prevent further violence.

Five people died and hundreds were injured across the country after being accidentally hit by fireworks, the German news agency dpa reported.

Explosions of very powerful, illegal fireworks in Berlin also caused extensive damage in two Berlin neighborhoods and injured many people, some seriously. According to the city’s firefighters, the powerful detonations severely damaged numerous house facades and broke many windows.

Thirty-six apartments are currently uninhabitable, reports dpa.

“The deployment of strong police forces from the federal states and the federal police and an early and consistent crackdown are the right way against the perpetrators of violence and chaos,” said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.

“However, the numerous arrests in Berlin alone and the repeated attacks on police officers also show that this action was absolutely necessary.”

She wished all injured police officers a speedy recovery and promised that all perpetrators will be “prosecuted and punished most severely”.