City leaders strongly condemn Saturday's vandalism

The political leadership of Jena sees an attack on the common values of living together in the city in the renewed series of destruction of Saturday night and condemns it in the strongest terms. "The fact that this is supposed to be about political demands is just a fig leaf. Serious crimes have been committed here, which clearly must also be prosecuted as such. The perpetrators want to create fear. Therefore, a quick investigation success of the police is decisive. The city of Jena is always ready to support the police in an appropriate manner," says Mayor Thomas Nitzsche (FDP).

The department head responsible for security Benjamin Koppe (CDU) adds: "We will not accept such attacks. It can not be that under reference to conflicts that arise in other cities, these are carried vicariously to Jena. I assume that all democratic forces in the city council will also clearly express that such a denunciation of the social consensus in our city by radicalized groups is completely unacceptable."

"At a time when city centre retail is already up to its neck because of Corona, this is wantonly destroying what others are building for themselves and for the good of all. This shows contempt for the common values and goals of our democratic society to an extent that would have been unthinkable only a short time ago. We must and will take countermeasures here," Nitzsche concluded.