Cologne: Police intruded in Elster

After Deutsche Bahn (DB, German Railways) yesterday filed a criminal complaint against the occupation of Vogelsanger Str. 230, the police today gained access to the Elster 230 and recorded personal data of individuals*r.
All this happens against the background that next Monday talks are to take place between the city and DB, as we learned today.

As a result of unconfirmed sources from the mayor’s office, we also learned that the mayor is now also trying to persuade DB to negotiate with us. There the opinion is represented that t DB should hear at least our offers, before other steps are introduced.

In this context, DB’s approach is becoming increasingly incomprehensible to us: “There is contact with a mediator – the city – who has to be taken seriously, also by DB. The DB announces that it basically approves our idea of use and at the same time it creates the basic conditions for individual activist who are directly involved to be prosecuted. We ask ourselves what DB expects of the criminalization of individuals at a time X when people accidentally stay in the house,” says Anna Meise.

As a sign of good will, we call on DB to withdraw the criminal complaint and to stop prosecuting individual persons through legal proceedings.

Anna Meise stresses further: “The whole stress and effort for all sides could be reduced by a good deal, if DB finally shows readiness to enter into negotiations with us while we are in the house”.

We explicitly ask the police to behave moderately, not to take any further personal data and not to gain access to the house! Especially against the background of yesterday’s highly unprofessional and extremely weapon force glorifying appearance of police officer Schliwitzski at the Elster!

Despite all the unpleasant developments, there is one good thing – the escalative behaviour of DB and the police only makes our cohesion and solidarity stronger!

The Elster, July 27, 2019

Originally published by Elster 230. Translated by Enough 14.