Germany Warden Message
April 29, 2010
This warden message is being sent to alert Americans living and traveling in Germany about the upcoming May 1 Labor Day holiday and the potential for isolated unrest in Germany. The May 1 holiday (and the preceding night) has traditionally witnessed large scale protests and wide-spread vandalism in certain areas of Berlin and other cities in Germany. These protests are often accompanied by clashes between demonstrators and police, as well as property damage, burning of cars, and minor looting. While largely confined to the Kreuzberg neighborhood of Berlin, acts of violence have spread in the past few years to other Berlin neighborhoods. There is potential for similar violence and property damage in other large cities. Berlin police expect an increase in violence, and there will also be an NPD (neo-Nazi party) demonstration taking place this year in the Pankow area with a large number of anti-demonstrators and expected clashes.
The U.S. Government is urging its employees and family members to avoid the following neighborhoods in Berlin and Hamburg from the night of April 30 and through Sunday morning May 2:
Berlin: Kreuzberg, Pankow, Mitte (southeast
portion), Prenzlauerberg (Mauerpark area)
Hamburg:
Sternschanzen area and the area around the Rote Flora on Schulterblatt.
We remind American citizens that even demonstrations intended to be
peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence.
American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of
demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the
vicinity of any demonstrations. American citizens should stay current
with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings
at all times.
American citizens in Germany are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration web site, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Germany. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consular Section (please see contact information below). By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings, Worldwide Caution, and Country Specific Information for Germany can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
U.S. citizens in Germany requiring emergency assistance should contact local police at 112, or the U.S. Embassy Berlin Duty Officer, who can be reached via the Embassy switchboard by calling (030) 8305-0. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt emergency switchboard number is (069) 7535-0, and the U.S. Consulate General Munich emergency switchboard number is (089) 2888-0.