Berlin Police Chief Barbara Slowik reports some Berlin residents openly support terrorist groups.
Berlin Police Chief Barbara Slowik has advised Jewish and LGBTQ+ individuals to exercise caution in certain Berlin neighborhoods with large Arab populations.
Slowik affirmed there are no official “no-go zones” in Berlin, emphasizing in a Monday interview with the Berliner Zeitung that Berlin’s safety is comparable to other German cities, even exceeding some major European cities.
“However, we must be frank; there are areas where I would advise those visibly Jewish or openly gay or lesbian to be more vigilant,” she stated.
“Unfortunately, some Berlin neighborhoods with predominantly Arab populations show overt sympathy for terrorist organizations and blatant antisemitism,” she added, declining to specify locations to avoid “defaming any groups.”
German authorities have opened over 6,200 investigations into antisemitic incidents since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Slowik noted most involve hate speech and vandalism, not violent crime. While violence against Jewish individuals is infrequent, she stressed that “every incident is one too many.”
“Of the 1,300 investigations into violent crimes, most concern attacks or resistance against police at demonstrations,” Slowik explained. However, she acknowledged the Jewish-Israeli community in Berlin “perceives the total number of antisemitic crimes as a heightened threat.”
Regarding why authorities don’t ban pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel rallies, Slowik emphasized freedom of assembly as fundamental to German democracy.
“Bans aren’t a cure-all or lasting solution,” she said, arguing that even with prohibited gatherings, potential perpetrators of antisemitic violence would remain in Berlin, simply less visible.