Regarding the decision of the Koblenz Administrative Court on "ethnic profiling"
Here you will find selected press reviews of the judgment of the Koblenz Administrative Court (case no.: 5 K 1026/11.KO) of February 28, 2012. On March 27, 2012, the Administrative Court published press release no. 11/20120 , which triggered considerable media coverage. With a decision by the Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate of May 8, 2012, an appeal against the Koblenz Administrative Court's judgment was granted, thus opening the way for a new round in the judicial review of "ethnic profiling" in Germany.
dpa/zeit online from March 27, 2012
"Legal ruling: Federal police are allowed to check train passengers based on their appearance".
afp/taz.de from March 27, 2012
"The Federal Police are allowed to check train passengers on certain routes based on their appearance without concrete suspicion. On railway lines used by foreigners for illegal entry or violations of the Residence Act, officers may conduct checks 'without suspicion,' the Koblenz Administrative Court ruled in a judgment published on Tuesday.".
http://taz.de/Polizeiliche-Kontrollen-in-Zuegen/!90431/
Spiegel Online , March 27, 2012
"The Federal Police are allowed to check train passengers based on their foreign appearance. This was decided by the Koblenz Administrative Court. On routes that are known to be used for illegal entry, officers are therefore allowed to conduct random checks without concrete suspicion.".
http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/0,1518,824066,00.html
The Local.de , March 27, 2012
“German police have been told they can continue to single out black train passengers on the basis of their color to check their paper, prompting allegations of institutionalized racism.”.
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120327-41589.html
ntv, March 27, 2012: "Discriminatory checks? Court allows 'racial profiling'. When the police check a passerby because he doesn't look German or because he's wearing certain clothes, it's called 'profiling'. A practice that human rights activists strongly criticize. A practice that the Koblenz Administrative Court has now nevertheless allowed."
http://www.n-tv.de/ratgeber/Gericht-erlaubt-Racial-Profiling-article5877246.html
Publikative.org , March 27, 2012
"A German court has explicitly allowed the police to select people based on skin color during so-called suspicionless checks. This explicitly permits a racist practice."
http://www.publikative.org/2012/03/27/papers-please/
Rhein-Zeitung , March 28, 2012
"Control based on skin color? The state's integration commissioner understands that those affected are resisting the ruling of the administrative court, but does not want to criticize the ruling."
The Local.de , March 28, 2012
“The young black German whose refusal to show police his ID led to a court ruling that cops could use skin color as a criteria for spot checks, says he will fight the case all the way”.
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120328-41609.html
Taz , March 28, 2012
"Sharp criticism of the ruling. Human rights activists are criticizing a Koblenz ruling. Judges had allowed the police to check people based on their 'physical appearance'.".
http://taz.de/Kontrollen-nach-Hautfarbe/!90513/
Deutsche Welle , March 29, 2012
"Searching for information based on skin color? For the first time, a court has ruled that skin color can be grounds for a passport check. The police argue it's for efficient border protection. Legal experts see the fundamental right to freedom from discrimination as being violated.".
http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15845923,00.html
Handelsblatt, March 30, 2012
"Court ruling divides Greens and police. The fact that the Federal Police are allowed to check train passengers based on their foreign appearance, according to a court ruling, angers the Greens. But the police union believes their criticism goes decidedly too far.".
Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency , April 4, 2012
"Police checks based on skin color: Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency warns against stigmatization"
http://www.pressrelations.de/new/standard/result_main.cfm?aktion=jour_pm&comefrom=scan&r=489833
Migration in Germany, Migazin:
"Police checks based on skin color – Anti-Discrimination Agency warns against stigmatization. The controversial ruling by the Koblenz Administrative Court regarding police checks based on skin color on trains is triggering fierce criticism. The Anti-Discrimination Agency, ISD-Bund, and TGD are calling on the police to end checks based on skin color.".
http://www.migazin.de/2012/04/10/antidiskriminierungsstelle-warnt-vor-stigmatisierung/
Der Tagesspiegel , March 30, 2012
"More colorful than the police allow: Is the police allowed to demand passports and check luggage from people solely because of their skin color? They are, says the Koblenz Administrative Court."
Der Tagesspiegel , April 12, 2012
"Controversial practice in France: Lawsuit filed against identity checks based on skin color. People with dark skin are more likely to be targeted by the police, complains a group of French people. Now those affected are taking the state to court. A similar case recently occupied the courts in Germany as well.".
Frankfurter Rundschau , May 5, 2012
"Officers check dark-skinned man; student allowed to accuse police of SS methods. A man is checked by police officers on a train to Frankfurt. His dark skin color is reason enough for the officers to humiliate him. The 25-year-old then compares the behavior to 'SS methods' – rightly so, a court rules. The Federal Police are allowed to check train passengers solely because of their dark skin color. But: One can compare this to 'SS methods' with impunity.".
[…]