Berlin’s Interior Senator Iris Spranger has defended the Berlin police following criticism in connection with a racist attack on a 17-year-old of Turkish origin.
The police initially misrepresented the attack and wrote in a press release that the conflict was triggered by the woman not wearing a corona mask.
“The police initially responded to the first witness statements. Witnesses often only see a small part of what is happening,” the SPD politician told the “Spiegel”. But the scandal is not the behavior of the police, but the incident.
“I deeply condemn this despicable insult. Xenophobia has no place in our city,” said Spranger. “But the police had also spoken of a racist insult from the start. That was omitted from the reporting.”
The dpa had also adopted the original description of the police in a report and also did not mention the young woman’s references to racist insults already mentioned in the first police report.
“I’m very sorry about what happened to the young woman,” Spranger said. “It is clear that the police will of course take all measures to clarify the case. Of course, young women have to be safe in Berlin, on trains, on buses and in all public spaces.”
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According to her description, the 17-year-old of Turkish origin was racially accosted, beaten and kicked by three women and three men in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg.
In a video from the hospital, she reported the incident, sometimes crying: “I was beaten up yesterday because I’m a foreigner.” She called for help, but despite many people around, no one intervened. The video has been viewed millions of times online.
“Such cases are primarily shocking and they must not happen,” said the interior senator about the racist attack. “Right after I took office, I launched projects for more security in Berlin.” Among other things, more police on the street should contribute to more security for women.
However, Spranger considers the increased number of attacks to be isolated cases: “Berlin is a safe city.”