The riots on Opera Square last weekend have consequences. Head of Security Markus Frank, Head of Environment Rosemarie Heilig and Police Commissioner Gerhard Bereswill presented on Monday the jointly agreed measures that should prevent such riots in the future. In presenting the resolutions, it was important to emphasize that gatherings of people who meet peacefully in public places in the city are not to be banned. Therefore, it does not come to a closure of the opera square and similar popular meeting places such as the harbor park.
It should be said at this point but also once again that the meeting in such places is indeed allowed, but that here also the applicable distance regulations are to be observed. Then, in the future, it will also be possible to continue to "party" on the Opernplatz - but only for a limited time: FES employees will henceforth move in from around 11.30 pm to clean up the square. The open-air parties are then to end at midnight, at the latest at 1 o'clock in the morning, the Opera Square should be left, then security forces will clear the square.
Mayor Peter Feldmann welcomes this decision: "Frankfurt is and remains a cosmopolitan and tolerant city, which does not close its central squares for residents and visitors. Nevertheless, after the violent scenes of the past weekend, it is clear that it can not go on like this. With the measures presented, Markus Frank, Rosemarie Heilig and police chief Gerhard Bereswill have, in my opinion, chosen the right first step to limit the violence on Opernplatz," Feldmann said.
The city leader reiterated that a red line had been crossed with the assaults on police officers - as well as the disgusting cheering of the bottle-throwing - and that the city government, with all due indulgence, should not allow such scenes to recur. "Already the garbage problem of the past week has rightly angered many Frankfurt residents. With all understanding for young people, we will not accept that our city is wantonly littered. And all the more we will not tolerate that rescue and emergency forces are insulted and attacked," said Feldmann.
In order to get the littering under control, numerous additional trash cans were set up on the Opernplatz last week. Unfortunately, this hasn't really helped much (so far), but maybe a combination of enough bins and a "curfew" will do something. As I said, the city doesn't want to lock out people who want to meet in the open. But in order for that to continue, everyone needs to follow a few very simple rules - keep their distance, dispose of their own trash - and that can't really be that hard.
"Closing Opera Square is not an option right now," said Frank, the city's security director. "It does not fit with the liberal and cosmopolitan city to curtail the freedom of our citizens in such a way that we close squares and parks and restrict the possibilities to stay in such a way. However, it can also not be that we watch how a gang of half-strong riot tourists disassemble our city and attack police officers."
Also environment department Heilig showed dismay about the riots of the weekend: "Those who have rioted there, were not those who met on the Opera Square to celebrate peacefully." She welcomed the joint measures agreed in the security conference, because in view of the numerous squares and parks that are currently being used intensively for casual get-togethers in the city: "We don't want to close off the city. Together with club owners and musicians we will now consider how we can offer public events under Corona conditions. I can also imagine releasing green spaces in the city for this purpose. Which, about it we will agree."
Mayor Feldmann, Environment Department Heilig and Security Department Frank thanked the state police for their level-headed approach Sunday night, which had a de-escalating effect and thanked for the measures taken to stop border violations. Further the appeal of the responsible persons is valid to behave socially acceptable on the opera place and to take on others consideration. Whether appeals, the taps at 1 o'clock and the additional garbage cans will be sufficient, in order to calm the situation at the opera place, remains to be seen. In view of the pictures of the past weekend it may be doubted that violent chaots can be intimidated by it. Nevertheless, it is to the credit of the police and the department heads that they continue to proceed prudently and do not punish everyone for the actions of a few. We can only hope that this will pay off in the end.
