Overview
- Three officers went on trial at the Amtsgericht Hamburg on June 30, 2026 charged with joint aggravated bodily harm in office, a count that alleges they used excessive force while acting in their police roles.
- Two defendants told the court their conduct was not justified, apologized to the victim and each offered €500 in pain‑and‑suffering payments, with one handing over the money in the courtroom and the victim accepting the apology.
- Prosecutors say the man suffered bruises and hematomas and that video of the incident at the Bismarck memorial shows officers striking him with batons and fists while he did not resist.
- The indictment came after the Generalstaatsanwaltschaft reviewed dozens of previously dropped police‑use‑of‑force files and concluded at least this case merited prosecution.
- The trial is the first criminal case to emerge from the re‑examination and may shape public debate in Hamburg about policing, oversight and how long it takes to hold officers accountable after large public‑order events.