Residential building catches fire – roof collapses – fire in underground parking garage – massive accident on the highway – riots in the football stadium … the list of operations for police, fire brigade, THW, rescue services, and aid organizations is endless. Every day, they ensure the safety, protection, and professional assistance of people in emergency situations. This activity alone is a great service to society.
Unfortunately, police, fire, and rescue personnel are also frequently attacked. For example, in early June, a police officer was seriously shot during an operation in Saarbrücken-Klarenthal and had to be treated in the hospital. On Christmas Eve 2021, a firefighter on duty in St. Ingbert was maliciously insulted and attacked by a passerby. In Kusel, two young police officers were killed in January 2022 to cover up poaching. These examples can be extended indefinitely. Such attacks are not only an attack on the individuals who sometimes risk their own lives to save others. They are an attack on our society, on the rule of law, which we must not accept.
The Saarland state government, under the leadership of then Interior Minister Klaus Bouillon, launched a program aimed at raising awareness of violent attacks against emergency personnel. The "Protection Ribbon" in the colors blue, red, and white is intended to signify that violent behavior towards emergency forces will not be tolerated. The city of St. Ingbert also stands up for its emergency workers: in recent weeks, the Protection Ribbon has been placed on the vehicles of the city administration.
„Respect for fellow human beings is one of the most important values we have. And respect for the people who help us in emergency situations goes without saying. Here in St. Ingbert, we stand up for our emergency personnel. We are proud of them and grateful that they are always there for us. We strongly condemn violence against our emergency personnel,“ emphasizes Mayor Dr. Ulli Meyer. „We are setting a sign for this in St. Ingbert.“
