In Germany, on New Year's Eve, women and teenagers practically disappeared from public space due to fear of violence.
German authorities are carefully preparing for New Year's Eve to make it as safe as possible for citizens, migrants and tourists. But the risk of violence during the holiday has increased so much in recent years that many women and teenagers prefer not to leave their homes on December 31 out of fear.
This was stated by sociologist Susanne Schröter, professor at Goethe University Frankfurt, in an interview with BILD.
“Zones with a ban on carrying firecrackers, restrictions on the use of fireworks, tens of thousands of police officers on duty around the clock – all this should make the upcoming New Year's Eve in Germany safe. German Interior Minister Nancy Feser said that the full severity of the law will be applied against violators,” the publication writes.
However, Schröter warns of serious risks for civilians and says that in recent years, Germany has developed a “space for violence” at this time of year. She says there has been an increase in mass violence during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. In addition, the authorities are trying to hush up this problem because the incident is often associated with migrants.
For example, the sociologist recalled the large-scale riots in Berlin two years ago, when out of 145 people detained by the police, at least 111 turned out to be migrants or people with a migration background.
“Since then, women have practically disappeared from public space on New Year's Eve. Parents are increasingly forbidding teenagers to leave the house, fearing for their safety, and these fears are entirely justified,” the professor noted.
Schroeter believes that what happens on New Year's Eve in large German cities has long gone beyond the bounds of ordinary youth rebellion.
“The development of this situation is causing extreme concern. Negative aspects, such as violence in public places, are often taboo. This has led to the creation of a space for violence, which is used by those who want to demonstrate their superiority and test the boundaries of what is permitted,” the sociologist emphasized.
Recall that in Ukraine, on New Year's Eve, the police will tighten control over compliance with the curfew. Law enforcement agencies are preparing to actively respond to violations of the curfew on New Year's Eve, and detained violators will be taken to the police station to clarify the circumstances.
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