Berlin Police Strain to Meet Rising Security Demands Following Middle East Conflict

Increased threats since the October 2023 terror attack on Israel have led to heightened protection of vulnerable sites and individuals in Berlin, stretching police resources to their limits.

• The Berlin police are now responsible for securing 1,085 high-risk sites, including 170 Jewish-Israeli buildings, due to threats linked to the Middle East conflict.
• Approximately 400 additional officers have been reassigned to support the 1,500-member object protection unit, equivalent to staffing for a full police precinct and two riot police units.
• The city's personal protection unit, second in size only to the Federal Criminal Police Office's team, has seen a sharp increase in individuals requiring security, including politicians and Jewish community leaders.
• To address the growing demand, Berlin police are relying heavily on overtime, as expanding the number of specialized protection officers is not immediately feasible.
• Recent incidents, such as threats against Berlin's culture minister and vandalism of his residence, underscore the heightened risk environment and the strain on resources.

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