This warden message is being sent to inform U.S. citizens living and traveling in Germany about the upcoming May 1 Labor Day holiday and the potential for isolated unrest in Germany. Large-scale protests and wide-spread vandalism have traditionally occurred on April 30 and May 1 in certain areas of Berlin, Hamburg, and other German cities. These protests are often accompanied by clashes between demonstrators and police, as well as property damage, including the burning of cars and minor looting. While incidents in Berlin have largely been confined to the Kreuzberg neighborhood, acts of violence have spread in the past few years to other neighborhoods. Berlin police expect an increase in violence this year due to recent events, such as the Liebig 14, where squatters were forcibly evicted from residences in Friedrichshain in January, sparking days of violent clashes with Berlin police.

The U.S. Government is urging its employees and family members to avoid the following neighborhoods in Berlin from the night of April 30 and through Monday morning May 2:

Berlin: Kreuzberg, Pankow, Mitte (southeast portion), Prenzlauerberg (Mauerpark area) [...]