Nationwide big fuss until the next rain: the standing areas marked with pink paint for drug dealers in gorlitzer park in berlin-kreuzberg disappear again.
The lines were drawn with waterless paint, the spokeswoman for the friedrichshain-kreuzberg district office announced on thursday. "The park manager deliberately made the lines only as a temporary mab to control behavior."The action had not been coordinated with the district office, according to the authorities. This should be well considered and discussed in the appropriate bodies.
Park manager cengiz demirci had colored narrow flats on the ground at one of the entrances, where two dealers could stand at a time. It is not about a legalization of drug sales, but rather the other park visitors should be less disturbed and no longer have to walk through a trellis, the park manager explained his idea on the radio station berlin-brandenburg (RBB).
Thereupon on wednesday emporte protests had become loud. There was talk of an invitation to break the law and betray the interests of residents, as well as tolerating a source of money for criminal clans. On wednesday, the district office was still surprised by the action in the park. Federal drug commissioner marlene mortler also criticized the standing spaces. The CSU politician told the newspapers of the funke media group (thursday) that the dealers should not be given a "free pass to trade".
The park manager in gorlitz park has been around since 2016, and so-called park runners are also on the road. They should make the "gorli", which has fallen into disrepute due to open drug dealing, more attractive again. The elongated area is located near the district’s nightlife and party areas, which are also popular with tourists to berlin.
The manager was out and about in the park on thursday, but was officially not allowed to say anything and referred to the district office. He does not understand the excitement, demirci said. In a discussion with visitors, he remarked that the basic concept for the park had already stated two years ago that no drug dealing was to take place in certain areas around the playgrounds, the children’s farm and at some of the entrances. The result is that drug trafficking is considered less of a problem for residents in other areas.
The responsible city councilor for construction, florian schmidt (grune), had said on the RBB "abendschau" that drug sales could only ever be postponed. Those who demand a drug-free gorlitz park will find the problem somewhere else. Part of the concept of action in the district is: you have to deal with realities.
A young woman with a child from the neighborhood said on thursday: "I think it’s important that we as families can also use the park. And then it’s a question of the dealers holding back and not being a constant pain in the ass."Tom, a 42-year-old from kreuzberg who was sitting on a bench smoking, said the drug sale didn’t bother him. "It’s okay. Everyone should do what he liked, as long as it is peaceful."
The discussion reached on thursday also the house of representatives, the state parliament of berlin. There, interior senator andreas geisel (SPD) said: "i assume that the suggestion of the park manager will not be taken up."Geisel refuted the accusations that the rule of law had capitulated. "I personally say very clearly that the police are fighting drug trafficking, also in gorlitzer park."
The situation around the kreuzberg area has improved "significantly". "This can be seen in the police statistics." The accompanying crime has decreased. This had also been achieved by more police and a permanent presence of the officers on site.
Berlin’s interior administration emphasized that if someone is caught with drugs, it will be reported to the police. The quantity does not matter. How the judiciary views the reported cases in terms of criminal law is another story.
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