It is a completely new dimension of violence, say the Munich police one day after the hail of bottles in the English Garden. As it has now turned out, sexual assault is said to have triggered the riots!
An Iraqi (16) allegedly groped a girl (14). Afterwards there was a fight and the police intervened. The mood continued to heat up: Bottles were thrown and there was loud bawling. In the end, dozens of officers had to withdraw from the scene in group formation.
This is shown by several videos that are currently spreading on the internet. They show young people throwing about 50 bottles at police officers between 8.30 and 8.50 p.m. and hundreds of people gathering around the police.
The officers had to use batons and pepper spray to calm the situation. The sad result: 19 police officers were slightly injured, but are still fit for duty.
Police spokesman Sven Müller told the newspaper BILD on Saturday evening: “Six people were arrested. We are investigating for bodily harm, resistance and assault against law enforcement officers and breach of the peace.”
Jürgen Ascherl (57), deputy state chairman of the German Police Union, to BILD: “I am appalled by the behaviour of our fellow citizens and especially by this aggression that the police are facing here. The police are only doing their job and the politicians are responsible for these regulations.”
In BILD, Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (64, Christian Social Union) also comments on the attacks on police officers in the English Garden: “I can very well understand that people are drawn to the outdoors in the beautiful weather and warm temperatures. However, I cannot understand the behaviour of people who do not abide by any regulations, as happened yesterday in the English Garden.”
Herrmann continued: “The riots in the English Garden and the propensity for violence against police officers leave me speechless. It is appalling and completely unacceptable that those who protect us are themselves injured. We must not and will not tolerate this. I lack any understanding that bystanders also allied themselves with the rioters.”
The Minister of the Interior announced in BILD: “The police will continue to take consistent action against these troublemakers and the violent criminals concerned will have to bear the consequences.”