Court Rules Berlin Police Can Withhold 'Pain Grip' Training Documents

The decision follows a transparency lawsuit seeking the release of police training materials under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Berlin Administrative Court has decided that the police are not required to release documents detailing the use of the controversial 'pain grip' technique.
The lawsuit was filed by a member of the transparency advocacy group 'FragDenStaat' after the police refused to disclose the information in 2022.
The police argue that revealing such documents would compromise tactical operations and public safety by removing the element of surprise.
The court acknowledged the police's classification of the documents as confidential and supported their argument against disclosure.
An appeal to the Higher Administrative Court is being considered, as the plaintiff argues that the techniques are already widely known through public videos.