Germany: Berlin police accused of violence
01 January 1991
Germany: Berlin police accused of violence
artdoc June=1993
There have been more allegations of racist violence against
foreigners in Berlin's police stations. Cases cited in TAZ
(18.3.93, 1.4.93, 15.4.93) include: a Tamil man who alleges two
officers broke his hand whilst at the police station; a Turkish
man who was arrested for stealing a car, which he had, in fact,
rented, was beaten up by three officers who stole his money and
his jewellery. A doctor described injuries inflicted to an
Italian man, arrested by 50 officers who stormed his apartment
during a private party, as `highly dangerous'.
Evidence of right-wing attitudes
After disturbances at a May Day rally in the Kreuzberg area of
Berlin, a group of up to 40 officers from the BGS (Special Border
Control police) have been caught on video marching down a street
singing the Nazi song `Horst-Wessel-Lied'. Witnesses reported the
BSG officers to the police who have started an investigation (TAZ
5.5.93).
Meanwhile, only 66 of the 436 members of the Berlin reserve
police squad, who were proved to have a criminal and right-wing
record, have been dismissed. The Berlin Senator Heckelmann (CDU)
said he saw no reason for dissolving the whole squad who were on
duty at the May-day disturbances described above (DT 23.3.93).
Death in custody
On 23 April, a 25-year-old asylum seeker from Senegal was found
hanging in his cell in a police station in Eislingen, not far
from Stuttgart. (Migration Newssheet May 1993).
IRR European Race Audit no 4 1993. Contact: Liz Fekete, Institute
of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS. Tel: ++ 071
837 0041