Attack on the ZDF team – public prosecutors bring charges against four suspects

More than two and a half years after the attack on a ZDF team on the sidelines of a demonstration against the Corona measures at the time, the Berlin public prosecutor's office has now filed charges. The suspects are three men and one woman. Charges of grievous bodily harm have now been brought against them. The 27 to 33-year-olds from Berlin and Baden-Württemberg are said to have kicked and hit the ZDF team on May 1, 2020, sometimes with metal bars. Some of those attacked were seriously injured.

The television team filmed a demonstration against the state corona measures. It was on the ZDF order for the satirical format "heute-show". After that, it was attacked in a side street near Alexanderplatz. According to earlier police reports, up to 25 hooded people dressed in black were involved. The attack was "targeted", it was said at the time.

The state security agency of the State Criminal Police Office (LKA), which is responsible for politically motivated acts, took over the investigation. These were sometimes complicated because the attackers are said to have taken off or changed their clothes during the escape. In several calls, investigators searched for witnesses and asked for photos and videos.

After the attack, the police arrested six suspects, some of whom are said to belong to the left-wing scene. However, they were released a little later. Based on a decision by the Tiergarten district court, investigators took DNA samples from six suspects and compared them with DNA evidence from the crime scene.

After their analysis, the public prosecutor's office is now convinced that the four suspects attacked the ZDF team - journalists and security guards. They are said to have knocked them down while masked and then kicked one of the victims "with great force" in the head. According to the public prosecutor's office, two of the victims temporarily lost consciousness.

Against the two men from Berlin and a 30-year-old and her 28-year-old brother from Baden-Württemberg, there will soon be a trial before the Tiergarten district court. The court has yet to accept the indictment.

Proceedings were dropped against two other suspects, the public prosecutor said. Based on video recordings, it cannot be ruled out that they only joined the group after the crime.