Görlitzer Park: Kreuzberg initiatives against each other

Various initiatives and residents' groups from Berlin-Kreuzberg are now taking part in the political dispute over the night-time closure of Görlitzer Park. On Saturday afternoon, an alliance of opponents of the Senate's planned fence around the park will once again demonstrate. From 2 p.m., participants will march through the neighborhood under the slogan "Görli stays open". There are 400 registered participants.

Another group accuses one initiative in the alliance in particular of being activists rather than residents and at the same time supports the construction of the fence around the park, which is known for its intensive drug dealing, among other things. The Senate wants to implement the extension of the wall around the park, entrance gates and night-time closure by the end of the summer.

Fence supporters from the "residents' group Kiezmarkthalle" at Markthalle Neun near the park write: "Many of us actual residents of Görli do not want groups (...) who work one-sidedly for green politics to dominate the media image of the attitude of the "residents of Görli"." They emphasize: "Many Görli residents would very much like to see the fence and the night-time closure of Görlitzer Park as a possible solution in the fight against crime, drug addiction and dealers." There is nothing to be said against trying it out for a while.

The Alliance Against the Fence and the Greens argue that closing the park at night would drive the homeless, drug addicts and dealers even more into the surrounding streets and residential buildings. Around 200 people took part in a demonstration in the park in January, chanting "The Görli stays open, the Görli stays open" during a visit by the governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU). Wegner said: "The fact that there were only 200 participants in this demonstration is also a clear signal. I would have expected significantly more."

Numerous measures taken by the Greens, who have governed the district for a very long time, and also by the police have so far been without much success. A paid park manager and so-called park runners were supposed to persuade dealers to show restraint towards women and young people, but ultimately this changed little, partly because the drug and homeless scene is constantly changing and most of the problems are more noticeable in the surrounding residential areas.

The Senate is now planning to invest a lot of money in local drug and homeless support. At the same time, the district office, led by the Greens, wants to block the construction of fences through formal legal channels and not take on the corresponding contracts.