This year, due to the past misuse of fireworks and the rising risk of injuries, the city of Hamburg will ban the use of private fireworks around the Binnenalster, including the famous Jungfernstieg promenade.

Fireworks banned in Hamburg due to safety concerns

Fireworks will be prohibited around the Binnenalster, the Inner Alster Lake, on Silvester (New Year's Eve) this year, after police implemented a ban due to a rising number of safety concerns.

Senator of the Interior, Andy Grote (SPD), said that the overwhelming number of people who crowd into the Binnenalster area on New Year's Eve, many of whom are intoxicated, has become difficult for emergency services to manage in recent years. 

Last year, around 100.000 people came to the area between the Europa Passage and the Apple store, resulting in a number of incidents. Fireworks and rockets were fired across the crowd and five policemen, a seven-year old child and a 16-year-old boy all sustained injuries. A few cases of sexual harassment were also reported.

Hamburg police prepare for the ban

German law usually allows the private use of fireworks for 48 hours around the New Year national holiday. When asked if Hamburg will organise a city firework display to compensate for the ban, Grote said the city had thought about instituting a laser show but this was not viable due to organisational reasons.

The police in Hamburg have been preparing to enforce the ban since it was announced. There will be an increased police presence as well as fences erected around the prohibition zone. In addition, the police have instigated a large-scale information campaign, distributing posters and flyers in various languages on public transport all over the city.

“The ban is nothing special, it’s in many cities,” said Grote. Indeed, similar bans do exist in cities like Hannover and Cologne, and a partial ban is to be implemented in Berlin this year. The capital city's ban on fireworks was imposed back in January following the dangerous use of fireworks and “street battles” on Silvester last year.