Three police officers who managed to deter a crowd from breaking into the German parliament building during the weekend protests met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st August, 2020) Three police officers who managed to deter a crowd from breaking into the German parliament building during the weekend protests met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday.
At some point during the demonstrations against COVID-19 restrictions over the weekend, far-right protesters waving the flag of the German Reich of 1871-1918 tried to break into the Bundestag, which is the seat of the Federal parliament. A video circulated on German tv channels showed three police officers without helmets near the glass doors of the Bundestag trying to prevent the crowd from storming the building.
"These Berlin police officers were in front of the Bundestag building. After [the crowd] broke through the fences, they were pushed back to the central stairs," the police press service said, adding that these officers would be received by the president.
Later on Monday, Steinmeier expressed gratitude to the police officers and noted that further escalation of the situation in Berlin was prevented only thanks to the police actions.
"You, police officers, ensured that tens of thousands of people could exercise their rights to freedom of assembly and speech ... In extremely difficult conditions, you dispersed the demonstrators and ensured the rule of law. For your operation and exemplary behavior, I want to express my deep gratitude, respect and recognition to you, the police," the president said, as broadcast by N24 TV channel.
When asked how only three policemen happened to be in front of the crowd on the Bundestag's stairs, the police's press service said that "everything was unexpected," and the officers who were on regular duty at parliament were pushed up to the stairs closer to the doors.
The officers did not have helmets because "there was no such order," and the additional forces who arrived to support them had helmets and overalls, the press service added.
Meanwhile, State Minister of the Interior of Berlin Andreas Geisel told Inforadio broadcaster that Berlin protesters managed to get so close to the parliament building doors because part of the police force that was on duty near the parliament was moved to Unter den Linden Street, where clashes between far-right activists and police were more intense.
Anti-coronavirus protests were organized by Stuttgart's Querdenken 711 initiative group that criticizes the government's response to the pandemic. The police initially opposed the Saturday rally due to fears that it would attract a massive crowd but later allowed it under conditions that organizers would ensure compliance with safety regulations.
