Berlin is set to enforce a strict weapons and knife ban in three neighborhoods—Görlitzer Park, Kottbusser Tor, and Leopoldplatz—starting Saturday, February 15. The initiative aims to combat escalating violence in these areas by preventing the possession of weapons that could lead to serious or fatal injuries, according to Die Welt.
The ban prohibits anyone from carrying weapons and knives of all kinds within these zones, including traditional weapons, pocket knives, and kitchen and utility knives, as reported by Berliner Zeitung. Even everyday activities like peeling apples in public spaces will no longer be allowed.
The Berlin police have tempered expectations regarding the effectiveness of the new knife bans. "Knife prohibition zones cannot prevent intentional crimes," said Police Chief Barbara Slowik Meisel to RBB Inforadio, according to Stern. The primary goal of the bans is to prevent violent crimes often committed in the heat of the moment during disputes. These crimes frequently occur in criminal milieus, among drinkers, or among drug addicts.
Police enforcement will involve discretion and sensible judgment. "We will, of course, point out to the mother who is peeling an apple that she is now in the knife prohibition zone and should please leave it and in the future please not carry a knife anymore," explained Meisel, as per N-TV. The police will use signs at the borders and within the ban zones to indicate the weapons and knife prohibition. These signs will feature a crossed-out pistol, a crossed-out fixed knife, and a crossed-out folding knife. A QR code on the signs will lead directly to the police's information page. The signs will be installed gradually in the coming weeks, according to T-Online.
Violations of the ban will be treated as administrative offenses, which can result in fines of up to 10,000 euros. Certain professional groups, such as care services, tradespeople, and emergency services, are exempt from the ban.
SPD interior politician Martin Matz called for regular police checks in the ban zones to ensure they do not become "joke zones." He emphasized that recurring checks without concrete suspicion are only sensible in places with a high rate of crime. Matz added that expanding the number of such areas would overburden police personnel.
Despite clear regulations, officers may encounter gaps in definitions, complicating compliance with the rules. "If someone has a large knife along with a watermelon, the police will probably not intervene. Carrying a long knife without a watermelon, however, could attract police attention," explained firearms expert Dirk Schöppl, according to Berliner Zeitung. The regulation specifies cases where carrying a knife is not punishable, such as when the knife is not "readily accessible." Schöppl noted that "readily accessible" means a knife is ready for use with fewer than three hand movements.
Concerns have been raised about the practical implementation of the ban. The Police Union has expressed apprehension regarding the additional workload imposed on officers. "There is no sensible, comprehensible reason why one would wander around in public with a knife, regardless of blade length, unless one wants to injure or even murder," wrote Stephan Weh, state chairman of the Police Union, in the Berlin Police newsletter.
Weh highlighted practical challenges: "Those who demand knife prohibition zones today do not realize that they cannot be controlled like environmental zones. They have no commonalities except for a clearly defined area." He questioned the feasibility of enforcement, stating, "Have any of the proponents of these knife prohibition zones ever thought about who will control these zones?" Weh argued, "What sense does a state prohibition make if it is not controlled?"
He also pointed out the existing pressures on police resources. "We are pushing a mountain of overtime ahead of us, which will only grow with an additional task," explained Weh. "The Russian attack on Ukraine, the Middle East conflict, daily demonstrations, and the normal daily service of our patrol cars for the citizens of this city—all of these are just excerpts that must be managed anew every day by my colleagues."
The introduction of the ban allows the police to conduct suspicion-independent checks, although there are practical problems in their enforcement. A knife in a pocket would be prohibited, while a knife in a backpack would be allowed.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.