(Koln) The mayor of Koln/ Cologne’s central Innenstadt district has
accused the police of “giving up control" of Ebertplatz, after a man was
murdered there at the weekend. Police
arrested three men on suspicion of murdering the man and are searching for a
further suspect. According to the police the three suspects (22, 23 and 25) and
the murdered man are from Africa.
The square, which connects three inner-city neighbourhoods, is known as a hot spot for drug dealing in the Rhine city. Andreas Hupke, the mayor of the Green District, isn’t happy about the events of the weekend and asked for action :
"It cannot go on like this. The Ebertplatz has long been a hotspot. The most recent incidents are a frightful confirmation of what two police chiefs have stated, the problems cannot be solved by police alone. "
It appears the good Bürgermeister is accusing the police of focusing
too much of their resources on the area around Koln central station, where mass
sexual assaults took place against woman during New Year celebrations two years
ago. Resulting in gaps of policing in other areas such as Ebertplatz which has become a drug hotspot.
