In Neukölln, a young asylum seeker was raped while a new gang was identified in the capital. Among the offenders, migrants continue to be disproportionately represented in the most severe cases in Berlin.

A youth centre in Berlin’s Neukölln district is facing increasing outrage after it was revealed that staff failed to report serious allegations of sexual harassment to the police, allegedly fearing that the suspects would be labelled as „typical Muslims.”

At the centre of the controversy is a youth leisure facility located in Gropiusstadt, one of Neukölln’s districts known for its large migrant population. According to a report by the German tabloid Bild, the incident involves a Turkish Kurdish schoolgirl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a group of boys of Arab descent at the centre.

The scandal erupted after staff at the facility did not inform the authorities despite being aware of the incidents. Instead, it is claimed that the staff attempted to handle the situation internally. Sources cited by Bild indicated that the rationale was to avoid publicly referring to the suspects as „typical Muslims,” as reported by the Hungarian Conservative news portal.

The case first came to light following an incident in January, where several boys allegedly assaulted the girl in one of the rooms of the youth centre. The situation reportedly ended when a staff member entered the room. The girl allegedly told the youth centre workers in the following days that she had been raped months earlier in the same facility. The alleged incident occurred in November in the centre’s garden.

According to reports, the suspected perpetrator—a 17-year-old boy known by the nickname „Medi”—filmed the incident and later used the footage to blackmail the victim. The video reportedly circulated among other boys at the centre, leading to further harassment of the girl.

The report also claims that similar troubling behaviour had occurred at the youth centre months before the case became public. Female visitors reportedly complained of repeated harassment and unwanted physical contact. Rather than contacting the authorities, the staff allegedly implemented internal measures. Girls attending the centre were reportedly given a safety word to use if they felt threatened, while the door to the room where the incidents occurred was removed.

In response to the report, Falko Liecke (CDU), Berlin’s Secretary of State for Youth and Family, sharply criticised the handling of the case. „It is outrageous that Muslim perpetrators are seemingly being protected here to avoid their stigmatisation while the victim is left to fend for herself. This attitude is completely unacceptable,” he told Bild, adding that authorities are investigating whether child protection laws were violated.

The case only reached the police after the girl sought help outside the youth centre. A supporter informed her parents, who then approached a police preventive officer from the State Criminal Police. Investigators reportedly seized the suspect’s mobile phone as part of the investigation. Liecke also accused local authorities of attempting to cover up the case, noting that the youth protection office had allegedly been informed of the situation weeks earlier but had not filed a police report.

Increase in Serious Crimes in Berlin

While the above case is a shocking example, statistics also indicate a rise in serious incidents in Berlin. The latest crime statistics show that while the overall number of crimes is decreasing, the most serious offences—including sexual violence, murder, and gun-related crimes—have sharply increased, according to The European Conservative.

Data reveals that 43.3% of suspects identified by the police were non-German citizens, while foreigners make up only 22.5% of the city’s population.

According to data presented on Wednesday by Iris Spranger (SPD), Berlin’s Interior Senator, the total number of registered crimes decreased by 6.7%, from 539,049 cases in 2024 to 502,743 in 2025. Despite the overall decline, numerous violent crimes have significantly increased.

The number of sexual offences rose by 15.7%, from 7,475 cases in 2024 to 8,652 in 2025. Of the 5,958 cases solved by the police, 36.9% of the suspects were foreigners.

The number of murders also increased, from 117 to 165 cases—a 41% rise. However, authorities note that 79 of these deaths were linked to a single alleged murder spree involving a doctor involved in palliative care, accused of killing severely ill patients. The police identified a total of 89 suspects in murder and homicide investigations last year, of whom 54 (60.7%) were non-German citizens.

The most significant increase was recorded in armed crimes. The number of gun-related offences rose from 666 cases (2024) to 1,119 (2025), representing a 68% increase. Of the 553 suspects investigated for armed threats or shootings, 39.6% were foreign nationals.

The number of knife-related crimes also increased. The police registered 3,599 such cases in 2025, compared to 3,412 the previous year, marking a 5.5% rise. Of the 1,906 identified suspects, 56.4% did not hold German citizenship.

In some categories, however, cases have slightly decreased. Instances of robbery fell from 5,121 to 4,823, while cases of bodily harm decreased by 1.6%, from 50,638 to 49,830. Foreign nationals accounted for 55% of robbery suspects and 44.1% of those accused of bodily harm.

New Gang Emerges in Berlin

The Berlin police report that a new criminal network linked to migrant gangs is instilling fear in the German capital following a series of shootings, grenade attacks, and large-scale extortion attempts against local businesses.

Investigations presented by the RBB broadcaster’s political programme Kontraste suggest that the violence is connected to a group called „Daltons,” which has roots in Turkey and is reportedly beginning to establish itself in Germany.

Prosecutors are currently conducting around 200 investigations related to the group and similar criminal organisations in Berlin.

Authorities state that the gang primarily recruits Kurdish asylum seekers, allegedly lured by promises of money and status. Investigators believe that some recruits were first approached in refugee camps before being used for shootings and other attacks.

This operational model has been observed in several other European countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden, where the criminal network led by Rawa Majid—also known as the Kurdish Fox—has been terrorising the suburbs of Stockholm for years.