Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD) wants to punish attacks on police officers and other emergency services more harshly. “Anyone who attacks people who are in the service of the general public and who thereby take on particular risks is acting particularly reprehensibly and must be punished accordingly,” Hubig told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “This applies to attacks on police officers, firefighters and rescue workers, but also to attacks on doctors, nursing staff or bailiffs,” the minister added.
Physical attacks on policefire brigade, rescue services or bailiffs should in future be punished with a prison sentence of at least six months instead of the current minimum of three months. This emerges from a bill from the Ministry of Justice, which is available to the Funke newspapers. Anyone who lures emergency services into an ambush and attacks them should be punished with a minimum sentence of one year instead of the current six months.
“The rule of law must counter brutality”
Attacks on the police as well as on rescue and emergency services had reached a “terrifying extent,” said Hubig. “Especially on New Year’s Eve, there were repeated uninhibited and unacceptable attacks.” The Justice Minister added: “The constitutional state must resolutely counteract this brutalization – also and especially with the means of criminal law.”
Hubig also wants to enforce better protection for doctors and other medical staff such as nurses. So far, special penal provisions only apply to attacks in the emergency room or emergency room. According to the minister’s wishes, physical attacks on these professional groups should in future be punished as harshly as corresponding acts against police officers and other emergency and rescue workers.
Also better protect volunteers
With her draft law, Hubig goes beyond protecting emergency services; she also wants to strengthen volunteers, local politicians and MEPs against threats and violence. According to the draft law, judges should in future impose harsher punishments if an act could impair “an activity that serves the common good”. This means, for example, the intimidation of volunteers or local politicians.
The Justice Minister also wants to take much tougher action against incitement to hatred. Instead of the current three-year prison sentence, up to five years in prison should be possible. If judges impose a prison sentence of at least six months for sedition, the perpetrators should also be able to be deprived of their right to stand for election for five years. For example, a convicted person cannot be elected as a member of the Bundestag or hold public office.
