state of emergency

Blue light news blog for Oktoberfest

72-year-old attacks security personnel

Updated on 22.09.2024 – 13:49Reading time: 4 min.

Safety is the top priority: Even before the Oktoberfest starts, a police car patrols the Theresienwiese. (Source: IMAGO/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON)

Since Saturday, a state of emergency has been in place in Munich again. Read here: All important reports from the police and fire department about the Oktoberfest.

Around 6 million people are expected to attend the Oktoberfest in Munich until October 6th. Security plays a major role. Around 600 police officers are on duty this year. There is a special medical tent on site to provide care in the event of a medical emergency. All emergency and police reports can be found here.

12.13 pm: On the very first day of the Oktoberfest, a 72-year-old man attracted attention. He is said to have attacked two security guards at a tent because they had refused him entry. The man was turned away by security at around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday evening when he tried to enter the tent. An argument ensued. The man is said to have punched the two security guards in the face. One member of staff was slightly injured.

The security forces alerted the police. A patrol took the 72-year-old to the Wiesn police station. He is now free again, but the police are investigating him on suspicion of bodily harm.

10.30 p.m.: A two-year-old boy fell out of his stroller during a fight between several people at the Donnersbergerbrücke S-Bahn station on Saturday evening at around 10:30 p.m. The boy was unharmed. A 25-year-old man, his 20-year-old companion and her two-year-old son were on the platform.

Before the S-Bahn arrived, they were attacked unexpectedly. A 26-year-old, the former partner of the 20-year-old, as investigations revealed, suddenly hit the 25-year-old in the face with his cell phone. A third bystander intervened and was also beaten and kicked. The bystander and the attacker fled. The mother and her companion suffered minor injuries.

Balance after the first day: 649 patients treated

A total of 649 patients were treated at the Aicher Ambulance’s medical station on the first day of the Oktoberfest. Among them was a young visitor who suffered a bruised stomach from the sudden braking of a ride. The ambulance’s stretcher teams were called out to 240 emergency calls on the festival grounds.

The CT scanner in the medical station was used 14 times on the first day of the Oktoberfest. Among other things, a male festival visitor was brought to the medical tent after a fall. There was a suspicion of a brain hemorrhage, which was confirmed. The man was transported to a hospital by ambulance.

An elderly woman had to be treated in intensive care after a seizure and was intubated and ventilated in the acute room before being transported to a hospital.

19:20: Police officers on patrol noticed an argument between a 20-year-old Frenchman and a 27-year-old man from Munich. As the police officers tried to clarify the situation, two more people arrived. One of them, a 30-year-old Frenchman with no permanent residence in Germany, raised his hands in front of his face and tried to punch a 43-year-old police officer in the face.

However, he was unable to do so and was brought to the ground and handcuffed by police officers, according to the Wiesn police station. The second person, a 36-year-old Frenchman with no permanent residence in Germany, pushed a 32-year-old police officer from behind at that moment. The 36-year-old was then also brought to the ground and handcuffed. The police officers were unharmed. Since both suspects have no permanent residence in Germany, they were taken to police headquarters.

2.31 p.m.: The first visitor had to be treated after excessive alcohol consumption. She was a 24-year-old American woman who had apparently consumed too much festival beer.

12.03 pm: The medical team has to respond to an initial emergency on the Theresienwiese with a stretcher team.

Emergency cases are transported across the festival grounds using such a transport box (archive photo). (Source: Aicher Ambulanz Union)

9am: Shortly after the official opening of the Oktoberfest, the number of people at the medical station increased
The Aicher Ambulance reported that people seeking help arrived quickly. Many visitors came with bloody blisters on their feet, small cuts from beer mugs or circulatory problems due to the strong sunlight.