Overview
- The expanded ban took effect on Saturday, August 1, 2026 and covers Hansaplatz, upper Steindamm and the ZOB where carrying unopened drinks is allowed but public consumption is prohibited.
- Participants in registered demonstrations such as the Christopher Street Day procession are legally exempt from the ban while police retain the right to intervene if individual behaviour during assemblies creates a danger.
- Enforcement measures activated alongside the ban include a €40 fine for first offences, penalties up to €200 for repeat offenders, stepped-up police patrols, a reoriented morning Weckstreife and expanded AI-supported video surveillance.
- Officials say the move responds to resident complaints that the 2024 Hauptbahnhof ban displaced alcohol and drug problems into St. Georg, which still records more than 29,000 offences despite a recent 5.9 percent drop in police-recorded crime.
- The Senat also pledged more support for people with addictions and homelessness while increasing controls on offenders without residency rights and pursuing repatriation where legally applicable.