In Frankfurt, the process starts under enormous security precautions.
Frankfurt – That was a lot, even for Allerheiligenstraße. In the night of January 29, 2021, a motorcade of eight cars drove up, about three dozen sinister figures got out, some of them opened fire on a kiosk without a word of greeting, in front of which eight people were standing, who fled behind the counter. The shreds fly, the police will later steal bullets from window frames and kiosk walls, but no one is injured.
At least not yet. In early March, a 38-year-old man was beaten half to death by five attackers with baseball bats and blackjacks. The police suspect “an act of revenge for the shooting in All Saints’ Quarter”. The Avengers are said to be members of an extended family. However, the police do not want to speak of “clan crime” but rather of “milieu crime”. Casus belli is probably a turf dispute in the drug business. More small revenge and counter revenge skirmishes are to follow.
Frankfurt: process of shooting in Allerheiligenstraße under enormous security precautions
Six suspected veterans of the opening battle on Allerheiligenstraße have been standing in front of the regional court since Tuesday. The four 22 to 39-year-old men are charged with attempted manslaughter, serious breach of the peace and all sorts of violations of the weapons law. The main perpetrators are a 23 and a 30-year-old man who are said to have shot at least eleven times.
The process is conducted under enormous security precautions. A regrettable necessity, says the presiding judge, the whole squabbling of the rival groups has brought a few side effects to the surrounding area, which are being negotiated in Wiesbaden and Giessen, and there it is the courts who are unpleasantly “showing” the rival groups as well threats have come.
This does not happen in Frankfurt, perhaps also because of the impressive police presence. Only two brothers of a defendant are sitting in the audience, but they are peaceful and do not threaten anything or anyone.
Frankfurt: The accused shows similarities to the convicted “Hells Angel”.
The defendants are quite clear that it is not a “clan” of classical provenance. The names of the men are as different as their origins. What they all have in common is that according to their own statements, they pursue all respectable professions: fitter, restaurateur, managing director, security, sports and fitness clerk. Only one states that he used to work as a bank clerk before leaving this milieu as a club and betting shop operator.
The “sports and fitness salesman” shares his name, age and facial features with a man who the district court – like the 21st Criminal Court here – had sentenced to nine and a half years in prison for manslaughter. In December 2006, the Hells Angels member stabbed a bouncer at the “Cooky’s” discotheque out of irritation at being refused entry. On the first day of the hearing, neither the court nor the fitness businessman’s defense attorney could elicit whether it was actually this man.
Frankfurt: The accused are legally stylish
In any case, on the first day of the hearing not much more happened than the reading out of the indictment – out of consideration for defense attorneys who were unable to attend due to other appointments. After all, the selection of the defenders present proves that the accused are legally stylish and solvent.
Also outside of the usual clan, but also Hells Angels etiquette, at least two defendants have announced that they want to comment on the allegations. But as far as the general joy of making statements is concerned, the chamber is under no illusions. A lengthy process of finding the truth is expected. So far, 13 days of negotiations have been scheduled until the end of August.
It’s a bit pressing, because the accused, who were arrested in March and June last year, have been in custody since then – each in a different prison. This, in turn, is not uncommon in clans. (Stefan Behr)
