City hall in Kirchheimbolanden closed for citizens: security first!

City hall in Kirchheimbolanden closed for citizens: security first!

After a violent incident took place in front of the town hall in Kirchheimbolanden, the lower entrance of the town hall was now closed to citizens. The security service will be used for the next 14 days in the entrance area of ​​the town hall to protect employees and citizens. This is reported by the Rheinpfalz .

The reason for the security measures is an incident that occurred today. A young man wanted to violently access to the social welfare office in Erlangen outside of regular opening times. He cut off the door handle and stepped against the closed glass door of the building, presumably with the intention of picking up money that had already been paid to his supervisor.

reaction of the authorities

The man's aggressive action prompted the office's employees to feel threatened, whereupon they brought in to colleagues for support and alerted the police. This took the man in custody, but he is now at large again. In response to the incident, the association has filed a criminal complaint for property damage.

The security of employees and citizens is a top priority, said Mayor Sabine Wienpahl. It is in exchange with the police to discuss possible further measures to protect the town hall and its employees. In addition, the employees were offered psychological care by the German Red Cross (DRK) in order to be able to deal with the possible consequences of the incident.

Access to the town hall and legal background

After the security measures, access to the town hall is now only possible via the upper entrance "Neue Allee 2". These precautions are part of the efforts to increase the security standard in public institutions, especially after incidents that contain violence or threats.

In this context, it is important to consider the legal framework for victims of violence. According to the victim compensation law (OEG), victims of violence in Germany can receive services until December 31, 2023. These include help and compensation for health damage suffered from acts of violence. The entitlement to these services also applies to EU citizens and to legally living foreigners if the act of violence took place abroad.

An important prerequisite is that the act of violence must have taken place after July 1, 2009. It must also be checked whether compensation is considered under foreign law. Refugees who suffered health damage from violence before entering Germany do not fall under the OEG, which she leaves in a particularly vulnerable situation. Further information on these topics can be found in the brochures of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.