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Politically motivated vandalism: sprayed flag mast in Tiergarten!
There was politically motivated damage to property in Berlin. Three suspects were arrested after they spray-painted a flagpole.
Politically motivated vandalism: sprayed flag mast in Tiergarten!
On September 15, 2025, an incident of property damage with a political background occurred in Berlin. According to police investigations, the offense occurred on the afternoon of September 14 at around 5:15 p.m. A flagpole in front of a party headquarters on Klingelhöferstrasse was affected. A witness observed three people spraying paint on the pole and alerted the police. The immediately deployed forces from the 21st Hundred arrived quickly at the scene.
The suspects, at the age of 19, 27 and 40, had already fled when they were addressed by the emergency services. All three were arrested in the persecution by the police. During the escape, the 40-year-old fell and contracted a head wound. He also resisted, which led to a police officer being injured knee and wrist. Fortunately, the injured police officer was able to continue his service.
Arrests and investigations
When searching the suspects, officers found several cans of spray paint, which were confiscated. The 19-year-old and the 27-year-old were taken to a nearby police station and released after police action. The 40-year-old, however, was taken to hospital to be treated for a head injury. The investigation was taken over by the State Police of the Berlin State Criminal Police Office in order to clarify the background to the vandalism, which was apparently politically motivated.
This incident fits into an overarching context of property damage in Berlin. As reported, there are increasing reports of vandalism and property damage in the capital. Particularly striking are the increasing numbers of property damage to motor vehicles, which rose from 12,429 cases in 2017 to more than 14,000 in 2024, an increase of 13%. There was a nearly 80 percent increase in vehicle arson cases, from 273 in 2017 to 486 in 2024.
Overall development of property damage
In contrast, the data shows that the total number of property damage to roads, monuments and public facilities fell by almost 35% from 2017 to 2024. The introduction of prevention measures, such as the “Clean Berlin” action program and awareness campaigns, appear to be having an effect. However, the clearance rate for property damage on roads continues to decline from 22.7% in 2017 to just 15.3% in 2024.
In addition, it is proposed to set up a specialized investigation group for arsons on motor vehicles in order to take greater action against the increasing numbers. This could adopt a similar structure to the existing “Graffiti in Berlin” investigation group, which consists of employees from the state criminal investigation offices and the federal police.