Berlin’s election campaign has been marred by widespread vandalism of political posters and physical confrontations involving party workers, prompting investigations by state authorities.

Ahead of Berlin’s upcoming election for the House of Representatives on September 20, authorities are investigating a series of incidents involving the destruction of campaign materials and attacks on party staff. Over the weekend, unknown individuals targeted election posters across the city, tearing them down, defacing them with graffiti, and even setting some ablaze. Major political parties, including CDU, SPD, AfD, and The Left, reported damage to their campaign materials, with some incidents involving offensive symbols and messages.

Specific cases of vandalism were recorded in several districts. In Reinickendorf, large posters from CDU and SPD were defaced with the word ‘Nazi’ and the number ‘161,’ while AfD posters were set on fire, damaging nearby light poles. In Schöneberg, CDU posters were ripped from lampposts and later found burned on the sidewalk. Similar acts of destruction were reported in Köpenick and Charlottenburg, where SPD posters were defaced with Nazi symbols. One unusual incident in Zehlendorf involved a man tearing down a poster from The Left while reportedly intoxicated.

The weekend also saw physical and verbal confrontations targeting party workers. In Prenzlauer Berg, an AfD staffer was verbally abused, while another was allegedly grabbed by the arm and had party materials destroyed. In Köpenick, three campaign workers from The Left were reportedly attacked and injured while putting up posters. The party has called for stricter safety measures and urged authorities to ensure accountability for the perpetrators. These incidents highlight rising tensions as Berlin prepares for its critical election.