Arson and chaos in Connewitz: police investigated against 20 rioters!

Arson and chaos in Connewitz: police investigated against 20 rioters!

In the night of Saturday, May 31, 2025, there was a fire in Connewitz, Leipzig, a vandal act in which unknown perpetrators set fire. The police report that the crime took place on Wolfgang-Heinze-Straße around 0.15 a.m. A group of around 20 people was involved in the campaign, which set fire to the barriers with pyrotechnics and carried a transparent. During the incident, stones and color bags were also thrown on the police station in the Wiedebach passage, which damaged several windows and a windowsill.

The perpetrator could escape undetected after residents deleted the fire. Property damage cannot be quantified at the current time. The police have started investigations into a breach of the peace that rely on the legal provisions in accordance with Section 125 of the Criminal Code. The definition of the breach of the peace is a crime against public peace or public order, which is characterized by violence from a crowd. The punishments range from fines to prison sentences of up to three years, in particularly severe cases even up to ten years.

Investigations and legal context

The Saxons officers were able to accept no personal details of suspects in relation to the incident, but the case is still being investigated due to the severity of the crime. The pyrotechnics used and the attacks on the police could also be considered all the more serious, since violence such as throwing stones or damage to property is direct indications of a violent breach of the peace. This can also be present if perpetrators heat up or threaten violent crowds.

The phenomenon of the breach of the peace has gained attention in Germany in recent years, especially in the context of public meetings and demonstrations. Often, incidents similar to in Leipzig are the result of tensions between demonstrators and the police forces. A discussion on the edge of protests can quickly turn into violent incidents, which not only endangers public security, but can also lead to intensive legal tracking.

The investigation in Leipzig will show whether the perpetrators can be identified and what punishments they have to expect in the event of a conviction. In view of the increasing number of such incidents in urban areas, preventive measures and education about the dangers of violent protest are more important than ever.