Political failures likely to cause dangerous New Year Eve: German police

The chairman of the German police union (GdP) expects more riots and violence on New Year's Eve and said politicians have failed to prevent the anticipated mayhem, reported dpa.

"Ever since last year's violence in Berlin... everyone knows that something has gone wrong in our society. We simply must react to this," Jochen Kopelke told the Rheinische Post newspaper in an article published on Thursday.

The police will be on site at potential hotspots with a "massive deployment of personnel."

Fireworks for New Years in Germany are only legally allowed to be publicly purchased during the last three days of the year, and only up to a certain grade.

"Politicians have failed us," said Kopelke. "Why aren't they finally giving us the legal means to consistently intervene against those involved in violence? And why haven't we banned the sale of fireworks on New Year's Eve, just as we do the rest of the year?" continued the GdP chairman.

What German police call "indoor fireworks," such as sparklers, are the only kind that can be purchased year-round in the country.

Last year, in addition to the usual heavy fireworks in the streets, there were also many firecrackers thrown and other attacks on police officers, firefighters and paramedics in some neighbourhoods of Berlin and other major cities. The incidents caused nationwide outrage.

In Berlin, the largest police operation on New Year's Eve "in recent decades" will take place at the end of the year, the capital's police commissioner Barbara Slowik told dpa. Large contingents of police officers are also expected to provide security in other cities.