Police students attack Africans: racism exposed at Alexanderplatz!

Police students attack Africans: racism exposed at Alexanderplatz!

In a brutal incident at Alexanderplatz in Berlin, a 49-year-old African man was the victim of an attack that was said to have been carried out with racist motives. The alleged attacker, a 20-year-old police student of Turkish descent, is now in police custody and has been suspended from duty. The incident occurred on Friday evening when the man was near the well with his 11-year-old son. Witnesses report that the police student repeatedly insulted the African and punched him in the face before kicking him in the head when he fell to the ground. The injured man had to be taken to hospital with head and hand injuries. According to Berliner Zeitung, the 20-year-old had a blood alcohol level of around 1.9 per mille and his companions were also drunk.

The police have suspended the three people involved, including two other police students aged 17 and 18, from duty. Police spokeswoman Anja Dierschke confirmed that legal and personnel measures against the students are being examined. The main perpetrator is threatened with measures that could result in a ban on continuing his official business. The companions are being investigated for failing to provide assistance. The alleged attacker also filed a counter-complaint against the African for threats. The responsible state security agency at the State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation to determine whether the companions were involved in the incident.

Racism and police violence

Such incidents are not isolated. Racism and discrimination within the police are topics that have been in public discussion for years. The cause of such aggression could lie in deeply rooted prejudices within the police force. According to bpb.de, studies show that a significant proportion of police trainees have xenophobic attitudes, and long-term studies show an increase in such attitudes after training. A 2019 study found that a quarter of police officers surveyed expressed concerns that Germany could become an “Islamic country.” This raises serious questions about future training and recruitment practices within the police force.

The incident at Alexanderplatz must be viewed as another example of the necessary discussion about racism and police violence in Germany. The Black Lives Matter movement and tragic individual cases such as the death of Oury Jalloh in police custody have raised public awareness of this issue. There are clear deficits in society and within the police that underline the need for further research and far-reaching reforms.