Berlin hosted unprecedented 5,000 demonstrations in 2015

comments     dpa     Published     Updated

Berlin is likely to set a new record this year for the number of demonstrations held on its streets, topping the 4,959 held in 2014 - itself a record.

The 2015 number had reached 4,901 by Dec 17, with the authorities predicting the number would reach 5,000 by year's end.

"The expectation that there would be slightly fewer demonstrations this year has not been borne out. For the past three years there has been a police effort at a high level," Berlin police chief Klaus Kandt told dpa.

Kandt predicted the situation would not change over the next couple of years, noting that there would be state-level elections in Berlin next year and that the federal elections would take place in 2017.

Germany's other 15 states had been less willing to help police large demonstrations, the police chief said.

"This had to do with the refugee problem. The federal police in particular had to deploy a lot of officers for this," Kandt said.

This year, 14 demonstrations were described by the police as violent, compared to 15 last year.

- dpa



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