Berlin news · 30 October 2026
Berlin Police Find No Coordinated Violence Plans for Gen Z and Halloween Weekend
Ahead of Saturday's protests and Halloween celebrations, Berlin's police said they have found no evidence of organised violence or looting plans, though they are mobilising 1,500 extra officers for the day.
Berlin Luxury Menswear House Mientus to Close After Nearly 90 Years
Mientus, a third-generation family business and West Berlin institution known for exclusive menswear, is shutting down after almost 90 years, saying it no longer sees a lasting economic future.
Berlin Medical Students Rally at Charité Against €109 Million Budget Cuts and Unpaid Practical Year
Medical students protested outside Berlin's Charité on Wednesday, demanding that policymakers reverse sweeping budget cuts and introduce pay for the mandatory practical year.
Taxi Driver Killed in Early-Morning Crash on Torstraße as Drunk Driver Suspected
A 56-year-old taxi driver died after his cab was struck by a car whose 38-year-old driver tested 1.6 per mille blood alcohol on Berlin's Torstraße shortly after midnight on 29 October.
Berlin's Slowest Tram Line M10 Gets a Speed Upgrade — Then a Seven-Week Closure
The M10, Berlin's slowest tram at 14.2 km/h carrying 100,000 riders a day, will have a 500-metre section accelerated before a seven-week construction closure starts 2 November.
Berlin's New Parliament Opens: Die Linke's Hendrikje Klein Elected as Speaker
Berlin's Abgeordnetenhaus held its constitutive session on Thursday, electing Die Linke's Hendrikje Klein as Parlamentspräsidentin with 98 yes votes, even as the Eralp affair dominated the hallways and cast uncertainty over the expected Red-Green-Red coalition.
Students Block Two Berlin University Entrances in Solidarity Protests
Around 100 students barricaded the main entrance of Alice-Salomon-Hochschule in Hellersdorf on Thursday using furniture and other objects, one day after a similar blockade at the Free University Berlin's Otto-Suhr-Institut.
Balcony Explosion Wakes Residents in Berlin-Tempelhof, No Injuries
An explosion on a balcony in Ullsteinstraße, Tempelhof, caused severe structural damage to the balcony and adjoining flat just after midnight on 29 October; police suspect a powerful firework.
Berlin Firearms Violence Surges: Task Force Ferrum Extended Indefinitely After 585 Cases in Six Months
Berlin police extended their specialist anti-gun-crime unit Ferrum indefinitely after registering 585 firearms offences in the first half of 2026, following a 68% year-on-year surge in 2025.
Berlin Serial Rapist Sentenced to Twelve Years' Imprisonment and Preventive Detention
A Berlin court convicted 69-year-old Frank S. of drugging and raping 14 women in 22 criminal acts between 2016 and 2022, sentencing him to twelve years in prison and ordering subsequent preventive detention.
National Student Conference Distances Itself from 'Gen Z Regelt', Plans Own Berlin Rally on 20 November
The Bundesschülerkonferenz announced a separate demonstration in Berlin on 20 November, rejecting the opaque organisational structures of 'Gen Z regelt' while sharing its core demands for more education funding and peaceful protest.
Berlin's 2026/27 Ice Rink Season Opens with Free Public Skating in Neukölln on 30 October
The Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark rink in Neukölln offers free public skating on 30 October from 3 to 6 p.m. before its official season opener on 31 October, kicking off Berlin's winter rink circuit.
Halloween Weekend in Berlin: Costume Parties, All-Night Swimming and Ceramics Pop-Ups
Berlin's Halloween weekend from 30 October offers a Y2K costume party in Prenzlauer Berg, 16 pools with extended hours — many until midnight, some until 2 a.m. — a Ku'damm archive sale, handmade ceramics discounts, and a Sunday flea market.
Tagesspiegel Checkpoint: 'Enough — Stop the Berlin-Bashing!'
The Tagesspiegel's popular morning newsletter fired back at critics from Stuttgart, Munich, Frankfurt and beyond who have been taking shots at the capital, defending Berlin's reputation with humour and civic pride.