NEWS FROM BERLIN
Trial of Berlin neo-Nazi for knife attack
The man considered by the authorities to be one of Berlin’s most dangerous right-wing extremists apparently considers himself to be more of a failure. “I may be a so-called right-winger, but I realized between 1933 and 1945 I would have ended up in a concentration camp,” stated Maurice P. Among other issues, he allegedly rammed a cutter knife into the neck of a Jamaican man. He also plays a role in another trial against neo-Nazis: Tilo P. is said to have told him they wanted to “pin something on him now because of the other things.” The authorities are sure “the other things” mean right-wing arson attacks. Source: Tagesspiegel
Judge considers “Last Generation” to behave undemocratically
On 4 February 2022, the “Last Generation” announced and carried out motorway blockades in Berlin. Medical student Johann O. (21) was one of the twelve demonstrators there. The judge of department 424 of the Tiergarten district court mentioned the student behaved in an “absolutely anti-democratic way”. This was based on a fundamental right of the motorists to continue moving. He sentenced the confessed 21-year-old to a fine of 30 daily fines of 20 euros each for coercing motorists in traffic jams. “I take their concern seriously, but I disapprove of their means,” the presiding judge said. Source: rbb
Racism in uniform
Abubacarr F. was walking through Görlitzer Park on a June day. Suddenly he was stopped by police officers and asked for his identity papers. F. asked why only he was being checked and not the others. But he knew already the answer: he is black. It has been proven everything that happened after F.’s check was unlawful: his papers were confiscated, he was taken to the police station for identification, accused of dealing with drugs and charges were filed against him. His lawyer accuses not only the police, but also the public prosecutor’s office and the judge who signed the penalty order and thus convicted him innocently. Source: taz
NEWS FROM GERMANY
Bonn: the Greens want two nuclear power plants in operation
For weeks, Jürgen Trittin (“die Grünen”) railed against any lifetime extension beyond 31 December, the official date of the nuclear phase-out. However, he was at the Green Party conference in Bonn, promoting the federal executive’s motion to allow the two nuclear power plants in southern Germany to continue running until 15 April if there is a risk to grid stability. Karl-Wilhelm Koch from the Vulkaneifel, a notorious proposer who is part of the inventory of Green party conferences, does not trust the matter. “Exit from exit, not again,” he cried. “Now it’s 15.4, who guarantees us that date?” Source: faz
Over a few fries
It was Nelson Mbugu’s last delivery in last September, at a regional office of Johanniter Unfall-Hilfe, in Brandemburg. He got no tips, but a fracture in his left arm. Such a sad story can be seen about a St John employee who apparently snapped because his fries were missing, but it is also about how questionable the aid organisation acts. The accused is even considered a role model in an institution which has shown little interest in clarifying the attitude of one of its employees in Cologne, who have entered the birthdays of Nazi celebrities in a calendar at a police station. Source: taz
Why do so many take the streets in the East?
Every Monday, thousands in eastern Germany take the streets, in order to demonstrate against the current government policies. Many questions arise from this. For instance, are these protests an expression of genuine existential concern in the face of inflationary prices and economic uncertainty? Or is something slipping fundamentally when, according to the current Unity Report, disenchantment with politics is growing in the east of the country and the AfD is growing stronger in the east? And, last but not least, what would help to win back trust, especially in the old “DDR”? Source: rbb
Germans have money worries
Fear of rising living costs (67 percent) is by far the number one worry in the annual survey “The Fears of Germans”. But the study from R+V Insurance also shows surprising results. According to that, fear of unaffordable housing comes in second place. Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed had this concern. It is followed by fears of a worsening economic situation (57 percent agree), tax increases or benefit cuts due to the Corona pandemic (52 percent) and the costs for taxpayers due to the EU debt crisis (51 percent). It is the 31st edition of such survey in the country. Source: dw
Germany puts brakes on EU gas price cap
In France, currently, it is anything but easy to get fuel in some areas because of strikes. Last Sunday, more than 100,000 people protested in Paris “against the expensive life and climate policy inaction.” France is protesting, even though inflation is still at an official 6.2 per cent – far below the average of ten per cent estimated for the Eurozone in September. However, although the state cushion prices there in the coming year, energy will also become much more expensive for its neighbors, as neither presidential nor parliamentary elections are scheduled. Therefore, the EU is trying to find a pan-European solution to the skyrocketing energy prices. Source: heise
German 9-euro ticket successor in 2023
The German 9-euro ticket will have a successor: a country-wide ticket called the “Deutschlandticket.” Minister of transport Volker Wissing (FDP) considers its launch to be “the biggest reform ever for public transport in Germany”. Already known as the “49-euro ticket,” it will be one possible offer, meaning that the pricing might change or that multiple options would be available. In contrast to the Summer 9-euro ticket, the new ticket will be offered paperless. “The aim is now to introduce the ticket as quickly as possible – if possible by the turn of the year”, added Wissing. Source: railtech
