On New Year’s Eve, chaos reigned in several German cities. Police officers and rescue workers were attacked. Especially in Berlin. 33 emergency services were injured here alone. The violent attacks on emergency services sparked a debate about the consequences, such as a ban on fireworks.
There were numerous attacks on the police and fire brigade and a total of 355 criminal and administrative proceedings were initiated. 145 people were provisionally arrested in connection with the riots. Most of them are men, a police spokesman said Tuesday evening.
A total of 18 different nationalities were registered. According to the German media, it mainly concerned migrants. About 30 percent of the 145 arrested are German chaotics. 45 people of German nationality were arrested. 27 suspects have Afghan nationality and 21 are Syrians.
After the riots on New Year’s Eve, the call for stricter border controls is loud. And this is where Switzerland comes in. In 2022, more than 9,716 illegal migrants from Switzerland were detained by the federal police, writes “Bild”.
The number of unreported cases is even higher. Two-thirds of refugees are never registered. For comparison: in the years 2016 and 2017 with particularly intensive migration movements, there were 7138 and 5127 persons. “Switzerland urgently needs to act here,” Ann-Veruschka Jurisch (50), FDP member of the Bundestag from Konstanz, told the “Südkurier” in November.
Police partially powerless
Germany is only allowed to carry out border checks in one place along the Swiss border. This is the Weil am Rhein/Basel border crossing. Only “manhunts” may be held at all other land crossings. Extensive identity checks do not take place. Since 2008, the border with Germany has been regarded as an internal border.
This means that there are no legal powers for border police measures and rejections on the border sections. That means: if an illegal entrant is discovered, he cannot be stopped automatically. If he has previously applied for asylum and has to leave the country, the police must let him through.
To bring the situation under control, Germany and Switzerland adopted an “Action Plan” against irregular migration in mid-December. Among other things, the joint, cross-border special searches will be intensified. In addition, Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter (59) and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (52) agreed to deploy “more joint patrols” in rail traffic.
Migrants prefer Germany
The deputy head of the German Police Union, Heiko Teggatz (50), chooses clear words for “Bild”: “The action plan is a drop in the ocean!” Police union man Manuel Ostermann (32) is also clear that something has to change: “The pressure to migrate to Germany remains high.”
Many migrants prefer to apply for asylum in Germany than in Switzerland. The reason: it is easier for refugees to work in our neighboring country. The Schengen/Dublin Agreement stipulates that refugees who cross the border illegally must be returned to the place where they first applied for asylum.
In practice, however, rejections often prove difficult to implement. There is therefore a good chance that migrants will be able to submit an asylum application in the desired country of destination after entering the country. (abbot)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
