The German Rubicon

[Jay]

Berlin, on this cool September night, exuded an unmistakable energy that danced through the city's eclectic streets. The cities skyline illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights, painted a vivid backdrop for the major elections underway. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the city continue to bustle as votes were counted across polling stations in the country.

The pulse of Berlin, a city at the crossroads of history and contemporary dynamism, quickened with the anticipation of an election which may prove to be the most consequential in Germany's history. The memories of division, foreign occupation, and a destroyed Germany rang across the city in a symphony of paradoxes. Perhaps no more contrasted than in Berlin. The city had seen near continuous anti-government protests which began to wean. In the political scene it seemed that the far-right had found the perfect foreign crisis to propel themselves into a supra majority.

The snap elections were first feared by the opposition. Using all legal tools available to them Posters adorned with the faces of candidates plastered on lamp posts and billboards adorned the streets, standing as silent heralds of the electoral fervor gripping the city. As the clock continued to chime, and the lines thinning around elections signaling the time for voting closing soon. Yet in the suburbs of Berlin the hum of activity intensified around polling stations as citizens tried their hardest to vote.

It was in this suburb, a stronghold for the Social Democrats, that votes were being made by workers just finishing their late shifts. Many of the polls across the country had already withered quietly and laid to rest. Amidst the conducting of votes in the polling station, the rumors were quickly spreading across Germany that the National Democrats had lost...and lost badly. Most of the rumors were spread by online bots on social media sites which began spreading news that the deep state was using the illegal immigrants to steal the election.

The warmth of the city skyline could not fool anyone that a cold storm was brewing around Germany. In the quiet solitude of her official residence, lit dimly by the warm yellow lights casting on the burgundy walls, the weight of the election results bore down on Chancellor Schreiber like an insurmountable burden. As her electoral staff were actively watching the elections in the NdKP headquarters, Schreiber left knowing the reality of the situation she faced. As she roamed the offices of the chancellory in circles, adorned with symbols of Germany's struggle for self-governance, now seemed to close in on her, its walls echoing the hushed tones of despair. It's rich burgundy wood seemly coming closer and closer as the clack from the clock ticked and ticked.

Returning to the rocking chair that overlooked the window which gazed into Berlin, Schreiber took another look outside, the feelings of defeat gripped her body like a plague slowly eating her soul. Arrogance, Ego...what was it...she thought...what made her call these elections...what made her do all this. Overlooking the city which was adorned with lights, the glow which radiated off the city was no sign of consolation. The election had not unfolded as she had envisioned; the once jubilant victory speeches replaced by a deafening silence that enveloped the room.

This was not just a defeat she thought, it was the end of Germany's true self-governance, she had no doubt that her successors would like prostitutes sell out the fatherland. Like leeches they would eat it from within as it withered away. She had worked hard for this...she had slaved away for years...the party had grown...its vision enticing...and now...now it was all gone. Her political aspirations fading away just as the sun had over the Berlin skies. The weight of responsibility settled on her shoulders realizing her political future was over...she could be an opposition leader...hell...she could never be an anything after this. The office, normally buzzing with the urgency of state affairs, remained silent, amplifying the hollowness of the room. The realization that her party had not only lost the election but also its majority, only increased the anguish for Schreiber.

In this private moment of despair, Schreiber stood alone, her silhouette flickered behind her, in the dimly lit study of the chancellor's official residence. The air was thick in her office. Amidst the silence, broken only by the distant hum as Schreiber hummed the tunes of her favorite song. Schreiber reached into the drawer of her ornate desk. As she pulled out a rustled paper, the paper's edges were worn. As she took out her black ink pen, she wrote onto the paper. The chancellor's hands trembled imperceptibly as she folded the paper and placed it back into the drawer.

As the city embraced the cool embrace of the night, the well lit ambiance of the outside of the poll station began to shudder. The door swung open with a creak, allowing a group of men to step inside. Their entrance sent a subtle shiver through the air, as the atmosphere within the establishment suddenly shifted. Their black clothes, bald heads...and goatee only spelt trouble.

Dark, brooding eyes surveyed the room, calculating and vigilant. Each step resonated with a quiet confidence, echoing in the hushed murmurs of as the poll staff helped voters get their votes in. The staff looked at these new arrivals and felt a short shudder. As one lady spoke in Turkish to a man, helping to explain the process to him one of the men shouted profusely. "Speak German! This is Germany not Shitistan." The sudden and thunderous shouting pierced the hall, shattering the peace of the electoral process casted a hush in the room as all eyes turned towards the source of the eruption.

"The voting should end soon...why are you letting these people vote. Where are there IDs!" The men shouted. One of them moving rapidly to the voter and grabbing him. "Are you even German you Mutt?!" He said, causing one of the electoral staffers to rush and push him away. "That is not your right. Out of here now! This is illegal what you are doing. Go. Now!" He shouted as he separated the two men. "What we are doing? No. It is you that is conducting a sham election here. You are the traitors."

Outside, clad in nationalist insignias and waving party flags, protests came and voiced their grievances with increasing intensity as the poll station remained open close to 6 pm. As the atmosphere thickened the men who had just caused the ruckus looked at the others. "Hear that." One of them said. "That is the sound of the people." Quickly some of those who had come to vote would try to leave. But as they left outside they were beat by the crowd, accused of being illegal migrants and voting for the SDP. Others inside defiantly voted, not wishing to allow this nazism to ever grab hold of Germany ever again. Inside, one woman would quickly call the police and notify them. Things were quickly getting out of hand.

[Police Operator]: "This is 110, what is your emergency?"
[Ayse Killiç]: "This is Polling Station 78 we have an active situation send help please." Chanting heard in the background.
[Police Operator]: "Polling Station 78, what is the situation please advise."
[Ayse Killiç]: "Please just com..." In the background. "Turn off that phone you whore!" The line went silent.

 

[Jay]

[Police Command]: "SEK Unit Alert. Be advised. Active situation, Polling Station 78 on Waldschulallee 95, 14055. Reporting violence and disturbance outside polling station. Alert Alert. Green Green."

Across Berlin's police stations, various SEK Commandos would begin assembling ad hoc teams as they prepared to intervene in the active situation. Men and women in clad black clothes continued to beat outside polling station trapping those inside while inside the three men continued to intimidate the pollers and the voters.

Outside the crowds shouted "You can't hide! We have found you vermin!" They chanted as they banged on the doors. As they continued to shout, the blaring sound of sirens wailed as the police rushed to the scene. A block away, the regular police began to assemble in riot gear and awaited to built up mass. The SEK however waited for no such mass. Stopping at a parallel block, they dawned their gear.

In the confined space of their armored police truck, the SEK Operators under the soft glow of overhead lights illuminated their lockers. They put on their tactical gear, in clad in dark uniforms, they donned Kevlar vests, tactical gloves, and masks.

The metallic click of rifles being chambered reverberated through the armored truck as they checked their weapons. Captain Schroder opened the door and the squad began to move towards the Polling Station from a rear entrance. The SEK Commandos knowing they couldn't take on the hundred plus mob. They would enter through the back of the Gymnasium.

Entering, Operator Kohl brought out his camera lens which he stuck under the door. Kohl scanned the room. He identified five men harassing voters. He signaled with his hands to the Captain that there were five hostiles with twenty eight civilians.

Captain Schroder came forward, as Kohl explained their immediate surrounding. Schroder signaled Muller and Koch to come forward. He whispered softly to Koch to open the door and Muller to move in to secure the second door that opened into the voting hall.

Schroder waited as Kohl maneuvered backwards next to Cohen and Fischer, then, nodded to Koch. Koch slowly opened the door, trying to minimize the sound as to allow Muller to move to the second door and close it. Once secured, the rest of the squad moved in. Koch then secured the door behind them.

At the second door, Kohl would wiggle up as he mirrored the door. To their direct left there was a huddled group of civilians who had sought refugee. A handful of others were scattered across the room while at the front the poll staff were confronting the instigators.

Schroder would move to the front. He decided it would be best to get the group of twelve civilians closest to them out. He would have Fischer guide them and keep them secure. He peaked the door, whispering to those closest to him to be quiet and move towards him. He pushed the door, allowing it to swing as he, Koch, Kohl, Cohen, and Muller moved behind the counter.

The twelve civilians crouched and waddled to the backdoor as Fischer secured them and made sure they were all unarmed and safe. The commotion in the back caused the neo-nazis to push through the pollers, slapping one in the face causing her to fall, and move to the back. "Who are you! Huh. What are you all doing there?! Bringing in extra fake votes. Come here you Muts!" One of them shouted.

As they got closer, judging based on the sounds, Schroder waited until they would be a little distance between them. Once the voices got to that point, Schroder used his fingers to signal to his team. They quickly stood up, raising their weapons at the men and began screaming to get on the ground. As Koch and Cohen maneuvered to arrest the men. As they arrested them the pounding stopped outside.

Outside it had been around fifteen minutes. The Berlin Police had acquired mass. Their commanding officer, Officer Reuter would assemble his eighty-five officers into a standard formation. Twenty-five officers made the front echelon while six stood behind them. Three armed with pepper spray and three with rifles armed with rubber bullets. Reuter commanded from behind this second line. Alongside him would be arrest officers while behind him would be the rear echelon.

As the the chanting and pounding continued, Reuter signaled his men to move forward. Like a blob the officers trekked slowly towards the crowd assembled next to the polling station. As they got closer, a few from the crowd would break and run away. As they fled their comrades jeered and booed at them. Those rallying the crowd would pivot the attention of the group from the polling station and towards the police line.

One got up and began screaming to the crowd, "Here comes their fascist dogs. Show them we won't let them pass!" With that the crowd moved towards the officers. Some threw stones while others threw whatever they could get their hands on. As Reuter's men began to get pelted he ordered them to pick up the pace towards the rioters.

As they got closer he whistled and had them slow down allowing them to march in sync and close the gaps in their lines. As the rioters began to continue to move towards them Reuter's whistled a last time to get his men to stand firm. Once the line was stable, checking the lines himself, he was handed a microphone by his subordinate officer.

"In accordance with the Versammlungsgesetz, and the Federal Electoral Law, these gatherings are illegal. They must be disbursed. I repeat. You must disburse immediately." As the crowd drew closer he repeated again. "In accordance with the Berlin Versammlungsgesetz, I Repeat. You are in violation of the code for assembly. You are in violation by threats to voters to the Federal Electoral Law. Disburse immediately or face arrest." To no avail. Reuters watched as the group got closer.

"You are hereby in violation of Federal and State Law. Your continued presence is illegal." As the Neo-nazis clashed with the police, the second line would occasionally pick out the most aggressive of the bunch to hit with pepper spray. As they were incapacitated, the front echelon would open a small gap and allow the arresting line to seize them.

This tactic would be repeatedly employed over the course of two hours as the neo-nazis continued to clash with police. By this point the SEK Commandos had evacuated from behind the gymnasium and successful detained all five men inside.

As the situation continued to escalate outside, with police arresting already over fifty rioters, it was clear they could not contain. Captain Schroeder would inform Officer Reuter that the polling station was clear over the radio. Reuter peered over the wall of shields in front of him. The crowd was getting bigger and the night was closing. As the situation developed, Reuter's finally began to radio the main station.

[Officer Reuter] "Command be advised this is Alpha-01. Alpha Commandos have secured the site. I repeat. Commandos have secured the site. 35 civilians rescued. Repeat 35 civilians rescued. Polling material extracted. Be advised. Situation outside deteriorating requesting permission to disengage and move backwards. Additional assets requested to allow for full withdrawal."

[Police Command]: "Be advised Alpha-01. Additional units are dealing with multiple riots across the city and are unable to relieve. I repeat. Unable to relieve. Hold your position.

[Officer Reuter]: "Negative command be advised. Situation untenable. I repeat situation untenable."

[Police Command]: "Affirmed. Situation untenable. Situation untenable at multiple sites. Hold. I repeat Hold."

Reuters huffed as he turned off the radio. God Damn it he thought. He surveys the streets in front of him. He knew if he stayed where he was he would be overwhelmed. He looked at the front echelon, getting tired by the minute as they were being shoved back and forth by the crowd. He called in the rear echelon to relieve the front echelon. The rear echelon formed a new line where the front echelon could walk backwards. Once there was a good meter between them, the rear echelon would open a hole in the center where they could run through.

With his front line stabilized, Reuters looked behind him. He noticed the road would get narrower. In front of him he noticed more thugs joining the crowd. Before he could proceed what was happening a Molotov cocktail would explain right next to him. Two officers were alit as the flames blazed around him. Several officers in the rear line stepped forward to put out the flames.

Reuters looked up and knew he couldn't hold this position. He ordered the armored truck forward. As it slowly trekked forward. He placed officers with rubber bullets atop the truck and gave them permission to fire on anyone holding a Molotov cocktail.

The officers would be hesitant to shoot worrying the cocktails would explode next to other civilians. They quickly noticed a cart carrying unlit cocktails in the rear of the group. Once they had a clear shot both offices would fire causing a small fireball to erupt. The fireball sent tens of the rioters fleeing.

Reuters organized a withdrawal backwards to funnel the rioters into a more manageable position. As night began to settle the rioters withdraw backwards to regroup. They prepared their stockpiles of rocks and other flammable materials. Reuters for his part had his men shoot into the crowd and fire tear gas to disperse them.

Night would settle in Berlin. Its scenic and quiet nights would be interrupted by Burts of flames, shining of lasers, and rocks pelting the ground. Violence erupted across the city as far-right rioters, protestors, and neo-nazi gangs rejected what they saw as a stolen election.

The situation could not be contained as it overwhelmed the cities police services. Off-duty officers were called in and whatever additional manpower that could be secured would rush to join officers battling well organized groups.

The violence continued with no end in sight. It did not help that the current mayor, Maximilian Krah, was a member of the NdKP and was actively fueling the violence by calling the election stolen. As he withheld vital resources, it would allow for protestors to swell across the city.

By the time that serious resources began to be available and the police authorized to use aggressive force the damage and been done. Three polling stations had been burnt down while eighty six officers were injured. Police officers continued to battle the neo-Nazis while SEK Commandos launched calculated stings to apprehend rioters moving in-between streets or vehicles transporting rocks, Molotov cocktails, and other weapons.

As the SEK and Police officers battled through the night there would be a break in the fighting as officers pulled back to recover. They had arrested over 195 rioters already and found it difficult to keep detaining them and sending them on squad cars when available. Berlin is burning would read some headlines while others hailed the champions of democracy standing up to fascist rule.

Many outside would watch in shock as the capital erupted into unprecedented levels of violence. With pressure mounting and Chancellor Schreiber personally pleading with Mayor Krah, he would free up resources to fully extinguish the riots. The damage had been done. Others within the NdKP were furious with Schreiber telling their supporters to stop the violence and demanded they return to the streets. It was an unsettling upset that pushed Germany on the brink.

Federal Police services flooded Berlin as Chancellor Schreiber instructed the Interior Ministry to aid Berlin State police services in quelling the unrest. Several hundred people would be arrested by state and federal police officers as they targeted neo-Nazi gangs across the city. In neighboring states, SEK Commands were tasked with conduction raids to apprehend suspects involved in the violence. The Federal Electoral Commission would meet in private to discuss the electoral results and would make a decision whether to certify the election as voting was disrupted not only in Berlin but at least six other cities where neo-Nazis attempted to intimate voters.