Arson suspected
Several Amazon vans burn in Berlin
May 1, 2024, 10:33 a.m
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Like every year, numerous left-wing demonstrations are registered in Berlin on May 1st. Many of the groups become active the night before Labor Day. It remains peaceful, but several cars are burning in an Amazon commercial parking lot.
According to police reports, the demonstrations on the night of May 1st in Berlin were “mostly trouble-free”. A police spokeswoman said a total of 3,100 police officers were deployed at the five gatherings in the capital on the so-called Walpurgis Night. According to this, there were four arrests on site, and in some cases “colored eggs” were thrown and pyrotechnics were ignited.
On May 1st, demonstrations traditionally take place in several Berlin districts.
(Photo: dpa)
The Berlin police also reported individual attacks on emergency services – but there were no injured police officers as of midnight. Among other things, a queer feminist demonstration took place in the Friedrichshain district.
The police spokeswoman also confirmed the fire of 16 Amazon transport vehicles in the company’s commercial parking lot in Berlin-Wittenau. A connection to May 1st could not initially be determined. As the “Bild” newspaper reports, initial findings indicate that it was arson. Accordingly, witnesses claim to have seen masked people in the vans.
Demos planned
On Wednesday afternoon, thousands of people want to march through the Berlin districts of Kreuzberg and Neukölln at the traditional “Revolutionary May 1st” demonstration. According to the police, 5,000 people have registered, but officials are expecting more participants.
According to the police, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements or posters are expressly prohibited at the demonstration. A total of 20 events have been registered for Berlin alone on May 1st. More than 5,000 police officers are on duty. Left-wing demonstrations are also planned in Hamburg, Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main.