Beaten up by the Police.....second time in three years!!!!!!

[Benshik]

Having lived in Berlin for over ten years now, I really like the place. The darker side though is that the Police can be very heavy handed, even brutal!!

ha ha, i had a good laught when i read that... man, get out of your hipster ghetto and you'll find out that police in europe is very soft compared to practically anywhere else in the world.

i think lots of policemen abuse their power, but when i hear stories like yours, i cant help thinking that... er... sometimes its civilians who act so stupidly and deserve to get their ass kicked

its like you know, sometimes you look for trouble, you want it. maybe you are maso indeed. i guess it gives you something to talk about...

[angryman]

Sorry to hear it man , why not make yourself an angry abes song and spend the new year finishing it and tell it your own way through music

[angryman]

Having lived in Berlin for over ten years now, I really like the place. The darker side though is that the Police can be very heavy handed, even brutal!!

ha ha, i had a good laught when i read that... man, get out of your hipster ghetto and you'll find out that police in europe is very soft compared to practically anywhere else in the world.

i think lots of policemen abuse their power, but when i hear stories like yours, i cant help thinking that... er... sometimes its civilians who act so stupidly and deserve to get their ass kicked

its like you know, sometimes you look for trouble, you want it. maybe you are maso indeed. i guess it gives you something to talk about...

maybe you don't know what happened? Pretty heartless response benny boy! Have a great new year mate.

[photonal]

It seems odd that the OP would post his account on this forum.

He is making allegations which may or may not be true, there could be further legal issues arising from this on his side, or on behalf of the police force and posting this account on here might be detrimental to his defence, or be a problem if he wants to take legal action of his own.

If it were me, I would take a breathe, keep a lid on it for a while and see how things pan out a bit more before posting my personal account on an internet forum. I know that sometimes we all need to vent, but I wouldn't recommend that anyone should do this on a public internet forum. Tell a friend, tell a counsellor, tell your mother. But tell an internet forum ?? Seems odd to me.

The account of what happened is already in the public domain (in German) from being printed in a Newspaper. I was hoping to just start some debate about Police brutality.

The first time this happened, I sat in my appartment, scared shitless for three days before I dared venture out. Maybe you don't like me coming out into the forum and sharing a bad experience - but how else can anyone stand up to violence in a non-violent way? Should I stay in my appartment again and keep quiet?

NO, YOU HAVE TO STAND THERE, MAYBE IN A FORUM AND SHOUT

"NO, I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT POLICE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAT ME SENSELESS"

[Lo-Fi Massahkah]

Maybe you'll get some more sympathy if you tell us the reason - or circumstances, if you please - behind the first beating.

We get that you were traumatized. Rightfully so. But. What happened?

.m

[photonal]

Maybe you'll get some more sympathy if you tell us the reason - or circumstances, if you please - behind the first beating.

We get that you were traumatized. Rightfully so. But. What happened?

.m

In the summer of 2005, on a Saturday night around 02.30am, I decided to make for home having been out all day and night. However, when I got to my bike (which belonged to a friend of mine) I discovered that the front wheel had been stolen. As the bike was a good one and I didn't want to leave it there overnight fro fear that the rest of it might be gone then next day, I decided to wheel it home on it's back wheel - which was the easiest way of transporting it.

I was about half way home, I turned a corner to go under a building onto the main road when two men appeared. They said I was under arrest for stealing a bike! They said they were police (they were in plain clothes) but showed no id. They asked me no questions about the bike, they just immediately accused me of stealing it! I wasn't given any chance to give an explanation.
They were also very aggressive already and scaring me. I didn't believe they were police. So as they tried to bind my hands I tried to get away from them. Before long they were punching me and kicking me on the ground. They also sprayed me with Pepper Spray - which burns like hell and I don't think anyone would be *calm* after that and would just stay put. So, I decided to flee. Abandoned the bike and my rucksack and ran. All this while - I had not hit them or even insulted them! I was just shouting for help.

From that point, again I was about half way to my home but was then picked up by Police officers and taken to the police station.
They didn't call an ambulance! Even though I was badly beaten up. The next morning a friend of mine came by and took me immediately to the hospital. The initial charge from the Police was for Stealing!! But as this was quickly proved to be completely false, they dropped that charge and then charged me for resisting arrest!!!!! Which, by the way, was later thrown out by the court and the case against me dropped.

[Lo-Fi Massahkah]

Finally. Thanks.

I'd probably get the hell out as well, being as they showed no ID/badge and dressed in civilian clothes. Must be considered a big error on their part.

.m

[telekom]

Sorry you've been beaten mate. Although I tend to think like some others here that it's not wise to vent on a Berlin based company's site about Berlin police...

Also if you have ever 'truly' done something illegal then the police may just be looking to follow up on previous misdemeanours. Or if you 'look like' some other guy who is a criminal then they might be picking on you for that reason. Although you can be glad you don't look Brazilian and spend any time in the London Underground (Jean Charles De Menezes, RIP).

Maybe you have been 'avenged'. It may be no accident that you caused the police some problems (as they see it) by complaining about previous events. They may have waited a while and then sent some officers round to your address to say hi. That may sound paranoid but I really don't think any police are above corruption.

I would say you should be especially aware of your personal safety - walk in groups, be vigilant, take taxis - do whatever you can to be as safe as possible. Bear in mind that there are a lot more potential criminals than there are potential bent coppers.

[Action Jackson]

If I were beaten up by cops, I'd be frickin' flattered. Now they don't even notice me and I try, I truly try...

[pixelbox]

Stop breaking the law and you won't get beat up.

Err. No. That's not how it works..

Ok, obviously, it's wrong of me to make such a wide, sweeping statement over the internetz, but statistically speaking, there are much more "good cops" than "bad cops", and the majority of them won't beat the crap out of you if you do not deserve it. I've lived in Franfurt Germany for 2 years back in the early 90's and I doubt law enforcement has changed that much since then.

Yes, the poletzei have the legal right to beat your ass if you do not cooperate with them. Why? Because they typically don't mess with you unless you are suspected of being GUILTY for something.

Plus, if the OP struck an officer, all I can say is, next time, do yourself a favor and don't, even if you are being beaten. This is the stupidest thing you could do, especially from a legal standpoint. You cannot fight the law by breaking the law. All you do is prove their point for the need of it.

And like others have said, don't run from the po-po. You automatically look like you are "fleeing the scene" no matter what the "real" reason is.

Sorry, man, I still say if you got smacked up by the law, I'm 90% sure it's because you asked for it.

[pixelbox]

Stop breaking the law and you won't get beat up.

Err. No. That's not how it works..

Ok, obviously, it's wrong of me to make such a wide, sweeping statement over the internetz, but statistically speaking, there are much more "good cops" than "bad cops", and the majority of them won't beat the crap out of you if you do not deserve it. I've lived in Frankfurt Germany for 2 years back in the early 90's and I doubt law enforcement has changed that much since then.

Yes, the poletzei have the legal right to beat your ass if you do not cooperate with them. Why? Because they typically don't mess with you unless you are suspected of being GUILTY for something.

Plus, if the OP struck an officer, all I can say is, next time, do yourself a favor and don't, even if you are being beaten. This is the stupidest thing you could do, especially from a legal standpoint. You cannot fight the law by breaking the law. All you do is prove their point for the need of it.

And like others have said, don't run from the po-po. You automatically look like you are "fleeing the scene" no matter what the "real" reason is.

Sorry, man, I still say if you got smacked up by the law, I'm 90% sure it's because you asked for it.

[Benshik]

maybe you don't know what happened? Pretty heartless response benny boy! Have a great new year mate.

yeah... you're right. i've seen so much worse in the last couple of years i guess i became totally unsensitive to that kind of thing. when it comes to police brutality, moscow aint a place for the faint hearted, to say the least... actually, all i mean is that somehow the guy is privileged to flee the police twice and get away with "only" a few bruises. do you realise that in most countries the guy could be dead right now?
also, he is privileged to have the possibility to hire a lawyer to question the actions of the police...

anyways... have a great new year too!

[Riff Valley]

Beaten up by big strong german police men ?
You lucky bitch.

Riff

[Tohtruck]

Start carrying a camera with you.

Some type of recording equipment.

Video, photos, whatever; at least you will have an accurate account of what happened or proof of your wounds and hospital visit and what not.

Btw, if you're in Berlin, the film company that I am interning at right now will be screening a film called 'Captured' it touches quite a bit on Police brutality which ocurred during the infamous Tompkins Sq. riots in NYC's lower east side during the 1980s. Some really incredible footage of NY's supposed "finest" beating down on innocent people for no reason.

[leedsquietman]

OP - I'm not saying I'm unhappy at you posting this story here, I just personally wouldn't have done it myself for the reasons I outlined before.

What is in the public domain is a press article. Usually this is not 100% accurate, nor is it usually permissible as evidence in court. However, your story as broadcast in 'tell it as it is' fashion by you, is traceable to you, will be deemed as prejudicial and biased by the legal representatives of the police and could leave you open to be sued for slander or whatever.

It's a crazy, litigious world. Given what you're going through, legal action taken against you for what you write on a public internet forum is the last thing you need. I am concerned about your welfare and hope you are recovering from the shock of all this - not griping at you !