Corona, war or the energy crisis drove many people onto the streets in 2022 - a challenge for the police. The "hot autumn", on the other hand, cooled down quickly.
Schwerin (dpa / mv) - In the northeast there were significantly more demonstrations in the past year than in previous years. The police accompanied more than 7,400 meetings and events in 2022, the Schwerin Ministry of the Interior said at the request of the German Press Agency. In 2021 there were almost 4700 and in 2020 just over 3300. "The significantly increased number of meetings in 2022, especially on Mondays in many places in the state, was presented by the state police in the preparation, support and management of police operations technically, logistically and in terms of personnel significantly greater challenges than in 2021," said the ministry.
On a Monday in mid-February, most of the Monday demos took place with 47 meetings, with the number of participants in the Monday demos having already peaked in January at almost 15,500. In autumn, the numbers rose again, but remained below those of spring.
The number of meetings related to the corona virus has more than doubled from 736 in 2021 to 1,655 in the past year. The total number of participants has also increased significantly when it comes to the corona virus. According to the Interior Ministry, there were around 88,000 in 2021, and in 2022 the number was over 298,000.
In connection with the Russian attack on Ukraine, there were around 350 meetings with a total of around 75,000 participants in the past year. Basically, these went peacefully and without any special incidents. Gatherings in Lubmin about physical violence against Ukrainian counter-demonstrators and connections to the right-wing scene attracted attention.
The thematic priorities have shifted and mixed over the course of the year, for example between corona measures, the war in Ukraine, sanctions against Russia or energy costs.
Especially with a view to the energy crisis, a "hot autumn" was often invoked. According to the ministry, the number of participants in the demonstration has been falling steadily since the beginning of October. The ministry suspects that relief from the federal government could play a role. After optimistic statements from science about the further course of the corona pandemic, the ministry also hopes that this topic will no longer play a major role in the future.
