This is what Berlin’s police chief says about the poster tearing down

By Hildburg Bruns and Axel Lier

When asked by the BZ about how she assessed this action by the officers, she said on Tuesday: “The colleague apparently felt compelled to act because of the poster. The legal assessment of the posters on the advertising column by the GenStA Berlin is still pending.”

And further: “Completely independent of this, it is absolutely understandable for us, for me as police chief, that by taking down the posters, feelings were hurt, especially of people in the Israeli/Jewish community, but also of the relatives of the hostages. This affects me and I regret it extremely.”

Interior Senator Iris Spranger made a different statement on Tuesday. When asked by the BZ, she stood protectively in front of the officers and said: “It is the police’s job to ensure public safety and order and to protect social peace.”

And further: “In this case, the Berlin police forces decided to remove the posters. This does not change the fact that protecting Jewish and Israeli life is an absolute priority.”

The police’s justification

Why did the police remove the posters at the intersection of Sonntagstrasse and Lenbachstrasse in Berlin-Friedrichshain? A BZ query to the police revealed that the crew of an emergency vehicle had found several posters “which had no imprint within the meaning of the press law”.

And further: “Investigations were initiated on suspicion of violating the press law and suspected damage to property. A final assessment of the matter by the Berlin public prosecutor’s office is still pending.” In fact, in the past, unknown people who stuck up posters in public without mandatory information were repeatedly investigated. For example, against political extremists who had put up so-called “outing or wanted posters”.