Germany’s crime rate soared to record levels in 2023, an annual report by the country’s Federal Police has disclosed.
The document, released on August 19, revealed that 790,245 crimes were recorded last year, a 12.5 per cent increase on 2022.
Among the shifts highlighted by the report are a rise in drug trafficking, trespassing, sexual offences and violent crime.
It also revealed that federal law enforcement, responsible for safeguarding Germany’s borders, train stations and airports, have been increasingly targeted by criminals.
The police experienced a rise in attacks, with nearly 3,000 assaults on officers in 2023 — the highest number since 2001.
Twenty-seven per cent of attacked offers are described as suffering injuries, with 11 per cent of these cases leaving them unable to work.
The report further detailed that 78 per cent of the attackers were men and nearly half were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the the time of committing offences. Almost a quarter of those involved were repeat offenders.
One of the most notable incidents involved violent clashes between police and climate activists in Lützerath in January last year, contributing to an 18.7 per cent rise in physical assaults on officers in 2023.
German police have searched the homes of Last Generation members after the group’s protests at several German airports. https://t.co/cBMiDldbXs
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) August 8, 2024
In response to the statistics, the German Government announced a boost in funding for police, with the relevant agencies set to receive an extra €1bn next year.
Additionally, 1,000 new police officer positions will be created in 2025, with a total of €7.2bn earmarked for internal security in the federal budget.
Also examined in the report is the number of illegal migrant entries into Germany, with 127,549 cases detected in 2023, the highest number since 2016.
Officers are described as having stopped 9,626 people from crossing into the country last year. Police also apprehended a total of 440 smugglers.
Germany’s border controls may be extended until the European Union’s new asylum system takes effect at the end of 2025, the Ministry of the Interior Nancy Faeser has announced. https://t.co/sEUIg1mP7l
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) August 16, 2024
