Berlin is trying New Year’s Eve offenders in 2021

By Matthew Becker

The Berlin New Year’s Eve riots and firecracker attacks on police officers were just four weeks ago. Politicians then called for quick trials against the perpetrators. Two of them are actually on trial now. But it’s been a year since their actions!

Tiergarten district court, room 2115: Ibrahim M. (26, security guard) and Omar M. (22, Hartz IV, both Germans) are accused. On December 29, 2021 at 5:50 p.m. they are said to have thrown several forbidden “Poland firecrackers” onto Sonnenallee (Neukölln). A police patrol was also attacked with a dumbum bomb and endangered road traffic, according to the accusation (AZ: 277 Js 924/22).

Security officer Ibrahim M. (26) is said to have thrown firecrackers at a police car

Security officer Ibrahim M. (26) is said to have thrown firecrackers at a police car Photo: Olaf Wagner

The witness Osama A. (42) was just parking his car when the first explosions shook the busy shopping street. The delivery driver: “The first explosion was so powerful that the children cried.” He looked up and saw two men standing at the window, lighting a second forbidden firecracker.

The witness: “The object hit the police car and immediately exploded. It was incredibly loud.” He stopped the officers and showed them the apartment where the suspected attackers were hiding.

Also charged with assaulting law enforcement officers and dangerously interfering with road traffic: Omar M. (22)

Also charged with assaulting law enforcement officers and dangerously interfering with road traffic: Omar M. (22) Photo: Olaf Wagner

With a judicial search warrant, the police officers stormed the suspicious 5-room apartment and met Ibrahim and Omar M. – charges of attacking law enforcement officers, dangerous intervention in road traffic and violation of the explosives law.

Osama A.: “I know such explosions from my Arab homeland. But it’s disturbing to hear something like that here. I was particularly upset that the two men laughed when the children cried.”

Against the background of the severe New Year’s Eve riots at the turn of the year 2022/23 (355 criminal charges, 145 suspects), the outcome of the process is of particular importance.

Criminal defense lawyer Ehssan Khazaeli sees no possibility of conviction: “There are loopholes in the law. This is not criminally punishable. The firecracker throw is not an actual attack, not a dangerous intervention in road traffic.”

The trial will resume on February 13, 2023.

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