Halloween horror: police operations because of rioters and firecrackers!

Halloween horror: police operations because of rioters and firecrackers!

Halloween night led to a busy police operation in the region, especially in Upper Bavaria North, Middle Franconia and Swabia North. As Donaukurier reports, 471 missions were counted in Upper Bavaria North, an increase compared to 411 missions in the previous year. The majority of these operations were due to disturbances of the peace and damage to property, although disturbances of the peace actually decreased slightly compared to the previous year, from 71 to 68 cases.

The decline in physical injuries and physical assaults was particularly striking: from 18 incidents last year to just nine this year. Two police officers were attacked during the operations but remained uninjured. In Elsendorf, a small town in the Kelheim district, five young people were out and about with banned Albanian firecrackers. They hopped away on e-scooters after throwing eggs on a house facade when the police arrived. One teenager was held by the police while the others fled.

Damage to property and dangerous sweets

In Dinkelsbühl, a mother found a two-centimeter long nail in her daughter's Halloween candy, causing concern. The police are now investigating whether this nail got into the chocolate egg intentionally or as a result of a production error. Parents of other children were also informed, but no other dangerous sweets were found.

In Neustadt an der Donau, also in the Kelheim district, young people threw raw eggs at a residential building. There was quite a lot of damage to the facade, amounting to around 5,000 euros. The incidents that night are part of a larger trend that other regions also experienced during the Halloween festival. Several police headquarters in Baden-Württemberg reported numerous operations due to property damage, including arson and egg throwing, as SWR reports.

The situation in Baden-Württemberg

The night from Thursday to Friday was also busy in Baden-Württemberg. In the Esslingen district, young people started a fire by throwing firecrackers onto a balcony. Luckily, an alert resident was able to put out the fire before it spread. Around 30 cases of property damage were received around Freiburg, including torn-out traffic signs and damaged park benches. There was also an incident in Tübingen in which an egg was thrown at a police patrol.

The police estimate that the majority of the operations that night were due to disturbances of the peace and the unauthorized setting off of fireworks as well as the noise from groups in disguise. In some cases, drunken rioters were even arrested. Despite the many incidents, the number of violent crimes remained stable compared to previous years, which can be seen as positive news amid the excitement of Halloween night.

Overall, it turns out that the spooky night was not only full of sweets for children, but also posed a big challenge for the police. The balance between fun and safety will continue to be an important issue at such festivals in the future.