A social media influencer who was filmed setting off fireworks in a Berlin apartment on New Year’s Eve was taken into custody by German police on Saturday afternoon.
The 23-year-old suspect, whose name is known to DW*, was detained at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on suspicion of attempted arson, attempted grievous bodily harm and damage to property.
The video, recorded in Berlin’s Neukölln district, sparked anger online amid widespread discussion about injuries and damage caused by New Year’s Eve fireworks in Germany.
At least five people died and several were injured in fireworks-related incidents on New Year’s Eve.
The influencer apologized on social media and in person
The video is no longer available on the man’s Instagram account, which has more than 310,000 followers.
In subsequent videos posted to his Instagram and TikTok accounts, he said what happened was “a mistake.”
He also posted a video on TikTok, which reportedly shows him apologizing to the apartment owner.
Police said no one was injured in the incident and residents of the apartment were able to quickly extinguish the fire that broke out after the rocket fell.
Before being taken into custody, the suspect expressed anger and surprise at the investigation into the incident.
In a video, he said it was because of racism in Germany and that he was planning to go back to his country.
Berlin police said in a statement that the suspect would be brought before a judge on Sunday to issue an arrest warrant.
lo/sms (dpa, dw source)
*Editor’s note: DW follows the German press code, which emphasizes the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals and obliges us to avoid revealing full names in such cases.
