Brutal attack on police in Schwerin: Ministers demand consequences!

Brutal attack on police in Schwerin: Ministers demand consequences!

On the night of June 14, 2025, four police officers in Schwerin were victims of a brutal attack while trying to break up a dispute. There was a serious incident on Münzstrasse when the emergency services were confronted with a group of 15 to 20 people. The situation escalated very quickly and ended with a 28-year-old police officer trying to restrain one of the rioters who was kicked in the head and briefly lost consciousness. His 27-year-old colleague, who rushed to help him, was able to fend off further attacks, but two other police officers were also injured.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Interior Minister Christian Pegel condemned the attack as unacceptable and emphasized that such an attack on emergency services is also an attack on the rule of law itself. “The safety of our police officers must be guaranteed,” said Pegel, who also announced consistent criminal prosecution of the perpetrators. Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig expressed shock at this incident and thanked the police officers for their courageous efforts.

Increasing violence against police officers

The numbers speak for themselves: In 2024, the police in Schwerin registered 151 cases of violence against officers, a significant increase compared to the 111 cases in 2023. Nationwide, over 1,100 attacks were documented, which corresponds to a whopping increase of almost nine percent. These worrying developments are a sign of a changing social climate, characterized by a lack of appreciation for the police and frequent alcohol abuse. This increasing violence against emergency services is also triggering political reactions: politicians and trade unionists are calling for a quick investigation and clearer consequences for the perpetrators.

Among the demands is the suggestion to expand video surveillance by CDU state parliament member Ann Christin von Allwörden, who sees this step as an alarm signal. The AfD parliamentary group leader Nikolaus Kramer also advocates a zero-tolerance strategy towards violent groups and suggests equipping the police with Tasers.

Support for the police

The police union (GdP) has once again pointed out the need to better protect emergency services. GdP state leader Christian Schumacher made it clear that more support for the police was necessary in order to better protect the general public. The lack of consequences following acts of violence against police officers is worrying and needs to be addressed urgently.

Finally, in the context of police violence, it is important to point out the study results from the Goethe University Frankfurt. Under the title “Violence in Office”, these examine the causes of excessive use of force by officials and emphasize that in many cases poorly developed communication, stress and excessive demands lead to exaggerated reactions. Particularly in conflict situations, the use of interpreters could contribute to de-escalation and thus possibly prevent incidents as bad as those in Schwerin.

The police in Schwerin have set up a information portal and are calling on the public to actively help clarify the incident. In this sense, the responsibility lies with each and every one of us to ensure that such attacks on emergency services do not become the norm.