In Weener in Lower Saxony, a man on Thursday night with his car strayed from the road and landed in a ditch, as the fire department announced. In the impact, the driver was reportedly trapped in his car.
Approaching firefighters freed the lightly injured. But instead of thanking them, the man had the helpers go off and hit them, said the fire department. Their thick protective clothing had saved the firefighters from injury.
"Only with the support of other firefighters succeeded to fix the attacker," it said in the message. The driver was finally escorted to the hospital by the police. Why the man freaked out, is not known.
"We are afraid that this will get worse"
Attacks on firefighters and rescue workers are not isolated cases. The violence is increasing dramatically, says Siegfried Maier, deputy federal chairman and Bavarian leader of the German fire service union. "More and more colleagues are having difficulties because they are being threatened on the job, and we are worried that things will get worse."
Therefore, on days like New Year's Eve, a police patrol must accompany fire brigade missions by default, the union demands. "Lots of masses, lots of alcohol, lots of fun," says Maier. "Regularly the emergency vehicles are bombarded with rockets." Even if his demand meant a lot of additional police personnel, "I find it very difficult - but possible."