New Year's Eve 2025/2026: Police draw successful conclusions after worrying incidents

New Year's Eve 2025/2026: Police draw successful conclusions after worrying incidents

New Year's Eve is always a very special celebration - with celebrations, fireworks and a glass or two of champagne. But how did New Year's Eve 2025/2026 go in Cologne and other German cities from the perspective of the security forces? The preliminary results show that the North Rhine-Westphalia police were able to ensure a quiet night with hard work.

Around 7,500 emergency services were on site in Cologne on New Year's Eve. These include not only regular police officers, but also the riot police, who were particularly present on New Year's Eve. Loud Lokalklick.eu The police recorded a total of 4,079 operations, which represents a decrease of around 8 percent compared to the previous year. This strong police presence largely prevented clashes and was therefore able to ensure calm coexistence.

Safety in focus

Interior Minister Herbert Reul emphasized that the good preparation was not without challenges. Despite the positive outcome, numerous police officers and rescue workers were attacked. Reul was unable to understand certain cases of deliberate damage to property and the setting on fire of objects in public spaces. The night was particularly tragic due to the death of two young men in Bielefeld who died due to self-made pyrotechnics. Reul described these incidents as tragic.

While attacks on police forces decreased compared to last year - 30 attacks were recorded, nine fewer than last New Year's Eve - 22 police officers sustained minor injuries, an increase of five compared to last year. In addition, the number of attacks using pyrotechnics fell by a remarkable 63 percent to 20 operations, compared to 54 the previous year. Police issued 1,396 eviction notices, an increase of 16 percent.

Developments in Saxony

However, the situation in other cities, such as Leipzig, shows that the challenges here are completely different. In Leipzig, for example, the police department carried out an operation to ensure public safety from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Supported by several hundred Saxon riot police, the city received over 320 operations, although there were also fewer major clashes. Temperatures that were well below zero also led to a decline in party crowds in this city, such as the Connewitzer Kreuz.

An incident that happened on Augustusplatz illustrated the dangers: a man fired pyrotechnics into a crowd and resisted being arrested. In many areas, especially in hot spots, there were attacks on police vehicles, which left one policewoman slightly injured. Security forces had to use water cannons to fight the fire in the early hours of the morning after burning objects caused backups in the streets.

Overall, it can be said that despite the challenges, particularly in the form of pyrotechnics and violent clashes, the police are far better able to protect citizens and ensure public safety with a well-thought-out security concept. Of course, the focus remains on monitoring the security situation in city centers and at larger gatherings in order to minimize acts of violence.

For a further in-depth picture of the stakes and challenges on New Year's Eve, you can also take a look at the reporting from sachsen.de and mdr.de are thrown, which offer additional multi-faceted insights and developments.