Overview

• Since July 17, knives and other weapons have been banned on all Berlin S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus and tram services under rules allowing random searches and fines up to €10,000.
• Police officers seized eleven knives during the first day of enforcement on Berlin’s public transport network.
• The Gewerkschaft der Polizei Berlin labeled the blanket ban as symbolic policy that fails to address the root causes of knife violence.
• The union warns that controls without concrete suspicion would appear arbitrary and could undermine confidence in legal protections.
• GdP calls for targeted interventions supported by legally sound foundations and public acceptance instead of sweeping prohibitions.