Leftists criticize police stations and prohibition zone in Leipzig

The Left Party criticizes the police station and the no-go zone in Leipzig's Eisenbahnstraße. The opening of the police station suggests "security in neighbourhoods that need social guarantees, youth work, dialogue and conflict moderation - in other words, resources for good, neighbourly coexistence without poverty and displacement through rent increases", emphasized Juliane Nagel, member of the state parliament and Leipzig city councillor.

Left-wingers: the results of the weapons ban zone are poor

At the same time, Nagel called for an end to the weapons ban zone around Eisenbahnstraße. "It has contributed nothing to safety and good coexistence in the social areas concerned." On the contrary, it has led to the devaluation of the area and further criminalization of people. The police are exercising excessive powers through unprovoked checks and searches, although signs indicating such a zone are no longer recognizable or are completely missing.

Weapons ban zone to improve the security situation

The zone was set up in November 2018 to improve the security situation along the crime hotspot Eisenbahnstraße. Certain weapons may not be carried in the area and the police may carry out checks without suspicion. According to a study by the University of Leipzig, the zone has had little impact on general crime. However, there have been no serious conflicts since then. The majority of residents had wanted preventative measures against open drug dealing and garbage.

"The introduction of the police station in Leipzig's Eisenbahnstraße was and still is controversial. The conversion of the property cost almost one million euros, with monthly costs of around 2,400 euros," she said, referring to the Ministry of the Interior's response to a minor question from her. The Left had always criticized both the weapons ban zone and the establishment of a police station.