Dortmund police want to put CCTV in 'Nazi hood'
March 7, 2019
Dortmund police are determined to have "German law and order in every corner" of the west German city, local police chief Gregor Lange said on Wednesday, announcing plans to install surveillance cameras in an area that is heavily populated by far-right extremists.
For more than 10 years, an area within the western Dortmund neighborhood of Dorstfeld has been housing "far-right extremists in several households in a concentrated way," Lange added. The area became known as a "Nazi hood." Police have boosted their presence there and formed a specially designated team to combat far-right incidents, which led to a large drop in such offenses, according to the police chief. However, Lange said this was not enough.
"As long as people who have noticeably different views see this stretch of street as something to be feared because of this housing situation and the labeling of buildings with 'Nazi neighborhood,' there is still more to be done," he said.
Read more: Torch-wielding neo-Nazis march in Nuremberg
"When it comes to fighting far-right extremists and troublemakers, there is only one thing that works: zero tolerance!"
A police team is now developing a concept for the video surveillance, with the plan set to be finished by June this year. At the same time, police and local officials are working on removing extremist graffiti and drawings from the area. Nazi symbols such as the swastika are banned in Germany, although they can be displayed for purposes such as education or anti-Nazi satire.