Fourteen police officers were injured by an extremely loud siren at an anti-AfD demonstration in Berlin's Wittenau district, with five requiring hospital treatment.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening when protesters deployed a powerful siren during a demonstration against the AfD election party in the Reinickendorf area.
Police chief Barbara Slowik Meisel confirmed that one officer was diagnosed with 'sudden hearing loss' following exposure to the noise.
The noise level from the demonstration reached a peak of 109 decibels, according to police measurements.
Fourteen police officers were injured by an extremely loud siren at an anti-AfD demonstration
REUTERS
Five of the injured officers were taken to the Bundeswehr hospital for treatment.
The incident prompted multiple emergency calls from the area as the siren continued to blare outside the AfD election event on Eichhorster Weg.
The demonstration was organised by the "Center for Political Beauty" initiative, which drove a bus equipped with loudspeakers to the location.
The group activated the siren as the first election results were projected at 6pm.
The bus was positioned directly in front of the AfD election party gathering on Eichhorster Weg.
The incident was part of a larger police operation across Berlin, with 1,400 officers deployed throughout the city to ensure security during the federal election.
Police were forced to break into the bus, which had been locked from the inside, to stop the siren.
Authorities launched an investigation against the bus owner on suspicion of bodily harm.
The noise level from the demonstration reached a peak of 109 decibels, according to police measurements
REUTERS
The protesters were issued with a demonstration ban lasting until the following morning.
The incident occurred amid broader election security measures, which saw patrol cars stationed around polling stations and election posters removed within a 30-metre radius.
Across Berlin that day, police made contact with 742 people at polling stations, resulting in 45 arrests.