Vandalism on the sports field: pole vault facility burned down!

Vandalism on the sports field: pole vault facility burned down!

On the night of Monday, September 29th, there was a devastating fire in the pole vault facility at the stadium on Finsterwalder Straße in Berlin. According to Berlin.de, vandalism is believed to be a possible cause of the fire. Despite the rapid intervention of the fire department, which was able to extinguish the fire, all of the facility's equipment was completely destroyed. In addition, adjacent areas suffered significant damage.

The pole vault facility was purchased by the district in 2017 as part of an extensive renovation and is an important facility for local athletics. The sports city councilor Harald Muschner (CDU) expressed his concern about the incident and the associated high level of damage, which will probably take several months to restore the facility.

Vandalism as a problem

This incident is not isolated, as vandalism at city sports venues is a widespread problem. The calisthenics facility in the Kreyenbrück sports park in Oldenburg has also been closed since November 2024 due to damage. The repair costs amounted to around 17,000 euros, which increases the burden on the public purse, as oldenburg.de shows. After extensive work, the system was usable again on May 28, 2025.

Vandalism not only causes financial damage, it also damages the sense of community, as many people benefit from the facilities. According to polizei-beratung.de, over 556,000 cases of damage to property were recorded in Germany in 2023. Damage caused by vandalism adds up to millions every year, which ultimately has to be borne by the general public.

Need for action and prevention

It is critical that citizens report incidents of vandalism promptly. These reports can be forwarded to the police or directly to local law enforcement officers. It is not advisable to intervene yourself, as this can easily lead to violence against people. The police recommend that you write down a detailed description of the perpetrators and make yourself available as a witness.

A whole-of-society approach is necessary to prevent vandalism. Parents should talk to their children about treating property with respect. Educational advice centers and police youth representatives are available as contacts and can help raise awareness of this problem.

In light of recent events, it is of utmost importance for responsible institutions and the community to work together to combat this form of destruction in order to preserve the integrity of public institutions and prevent future damage.