Berlin braces for May Day protests with 5,000 officers on alert
Berlin (dpa/bb) — The mix of peaceful and violent demonstrations on May Day will require a massive police deployment, according to the Police Union (GdP). More than 5,000 officers will be on duty that day, with reinforcements arriving from multiple German states, the GdP emphasized.
One of the largest gatherings is expected at the 6:00 p.m. demonstration in Kreuzberg and Neukölln, which will also pass by Görlitzer Park. Authorities have lifted the park's nighttime closure around May 1—a welcome decision that helps reduce the risk of escalation, the union noted.
Stefan Weh, chair of the GdP's Berlin branch, said the far-left extremist scene has seen declining support for "violent excesses" in recent years. Still, the situation remains unpredictable, with a lingering potential for unrest. "I hope that one day we'll make it through the night without any injured colleagues," he said. "Only then can we truly call it a peaceful May Day."
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