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Party doubts the effectiveness of large-scale measures in public transport
The Darmstadt Green Party has criticized the checks carried out on public transport as part of the statewide weapons ban zone in Hesse. The party stated that it rejects the measures, as does the Green parliamentary group in the Hessian state parliament, which voted against the corresponding proposal.
The Green Party is particularly critical of the checks of all passengers at the Schloss bus stop, where travelers had to disembark from buses and submit to police procedures. According to the party, several citizens subsequently contacted them, expressing their irritation and unease.
Heiko Depner, spokesperson for the Green Party in Darmstadt, expresses doubts about the effectiveness of such operations: "Checking all passengers with a massive police presence does not create a sense of security – on the contrary: it causes irritation and uncertainty." The party appeals to political decision-makers to implement measures with "moderation and balance" and not to place entire groups of passengers under general suspicion.
Furthermore, the proportionality of the checks is being questioned. It is argued that armed individuals might lay down their weapons before being stopped, thus limiting the preventive effect. The Green Party cites a survey from Kassel as evidence, which shows that while the desire for a police presence is increasing, so too is the subjective feeling of insecurity.
The Green Party has announced that it will also bring this perspective into the local political debate on the weapons-free zone at Luisenplatz. Implementation there must be targeted, proportionate, and non-discriminatory. Furthermore, a meeting with the police chief is planned.
(Darmstadt - Red/Greens)
