“If a girl turns to those responsible and talks about serious sexual crimes, you can’t just ignore it and try to sweep it under the table,” says Benjamin Jendro, spokesman for the police union in Berlin.

“To dismiss this as a simple mistake, as the responsible city councilor is trying to do, is also an absolute disaster in terms of communication and reveals massive grievances.”

Police fear “culture of looking the other way”

“The youth welfare office was informed about these incidents on January 28, 2026,” a spokesman for the district office told the German Press Agency. The responsible district councilor Sarah Nagel (Left) found out about it on March 2nd.

She mentioned the procedure in an interview with “rbb” a “mistake”. Neither the affected youth center in Berlin-Neukölln nor the responsible youth welfare office filed a criminal complaint promptly, the Left said on Wednesday.

Jendro is critical of Nagel’s statement. In addition to clarifying the rape allegation, the police will determine “whether a culture of looking the other way has taken on a life of its own in parts of the district,” he says in an interview with FOCUS online.

The district councilor came under criticism four years ago. In at least one case, Nagel is said to have banned raids on Arab restaurants and shisha bars.

State Selrater Liecke: “Protect victims, not the perpetrators”

Youth State Secretary Falko Liecke (CDU) told FOCUS online that “in any case, it must be clarified before Easter which legal provisions have been disregarded”. However, this task is not the responsibility of the Senate, but of the district administration.

There are further serious allegations in the room. Because if it were confirmed that criminal charges were not filed because the alleged Muslim perpetrators should not be stigmatized, this would be an “absolute scandal,” said Liecke.

“If there is suspicion of rape, the police must be informed immediately and the suspect must be investigated, regardless of their nationality.”

It’s about protecting the alleged victim. In Liecke’s eyes, legal consequences would then have to follow. “This is also the responsibility of the district and not the Senate.” This is the responsibility of Neukölln Mayor Martin Hikel (SPD).

CDU parliamentary group leader: “Tendency would suit the left”

Markus Oegel, CDU parliamentary group leader in the Neukölln district assembly, also sees a “tendency” of certain political parties to “look the other way” when it comes to crimes. Specifically: when it comes to certain ethnic groups. “That would suit the left,” said Oegel to FOCUS online.

However, he restricted the fact that you first have to “take a close look at who knew what, when and why they didn’t pass it on.” Oegel himself only knows the allegations against the youth center, youth welfare office and district councilor Nagel “so far from the media”.

We are working hard to obtain the necessary information. The CDU has requested a meeting of the Youth Welfare Committee, which should only serve to clarify the allegations.

In principle, it could have “fatal consequences” if criminal investigations are not initiated simply to avoid stigmatizing certain population groups, warns Oegel. “If things like this aren’t talked about, then we’ll have the AfD at 45 percent in Neukölln at some point.”

District Councilor Nagel has so far left a questionnaire from FOCUS online about the background and responsibilities unanswered.