Potsdam in the graffiti storm: City does not respond to A.C.A.B. -Criticism!

Potsdam in the graffiti storm: City does not respond to A.C.A.B. -Criticism!

Potsdam, Deutschland - graffiti not only bring works of art, but also a lot of discussion. In Potsdam, the lettering with the provocative abbreviation "A.C.A.B." In places such as Zeppelinstrasse, Daimlerstrasse and Erika-Wolf-Straße for excitement. The abbreviation that stands for "All Cops Are Bastards" has a clear message against the police. But while some consider this to be an expression of freedom of expression, the city of Potsdam sees no responsibility for removing this graffiti. According to the city administration, these do not represent a violation of a law as long as they do not aim at certain police officers. Thus, in many cases, the matter gets stuck on the homeowners who have to pay for the removal without the support of the city.

according to information from Maz-online.de , for example, the Potsdam housing cooperative 1956 (PWG) recently removed an "A.C.A.B."-lettering for a proud 14,182 euros. However, only a part of the costs were covered by the insurance company. These constant graffiti removal could not only drive up the ancillary costs for the tenants, but also let the insurance premiums rise.

A look at the background

The discussion about graffiti is not only local. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, property damage caused by graffiti is a widespread problem in Germany. Statista was continuously recorded, which indicates a persistent problem in many cities.

Another example of graffiti damage was available in Boßweiler in Leiningerland at the beginning of the year. There was damage of around 3000 euros at a bus stop in the night from 13th to January 14th, 2023. Thanks to information from the population, the local police are looking for witnesses to identify the perpetrators. More information is provided by the Grünstadt police, which can be reached on 06359 93120 or by email at pigruenstadt@polizei.rlp.de, as can be reached on Wochenblatt-reporter.de reported.

The union of the police (GdP) in Brandenburg has sharply condemned the use of the "A.C.A.B." lettering again. The GdP state district chairman Anita Kirsten points out that such flat-rate statements defame all police officers and do not contribute to clarification. Rather, this leads to a division in society that urgently need to avoid.

at a time when the dialogue between citizens and the police is essential, it remains to be hoped that these incidents will lead to a constructive exchange and not to further incomprehension.