On Monday, March 17th, a homeless man was seriously injured in Berlin when a street cleaning vehicle ran over his legs while he was sleeping under a bridge in the Schöneberg district. The incident occurred early in the morning as the cleaning crew began their work. The man sustained severe injuries, requiring immediate medical attention and hospitalization.
The article emphasizes that this incident isn’t isolated but reflects a systemic problem of inadequate housing and support for Berlin’s homeless population. It criticizes the lack of sufficient shelters and resources, forcing many to seek refuge in dangerous and exposed locations. It connects the accident to broader issues of social inequality and the prioritization of profit over human needs.
The article further accuses the Berlin government, led by the CDU and SPD coalition, of failing to address the root causes of homelessness. They assert that the government’s policies exacerbate the problem by focusing on law enforcement and displacement rather than providing permanent housing solutions. The article points to rising rents, lack of affordable housing, and inadequate social welfare programs as contributing factors to the increasing homelessness crisis in Berlin. The event is framed as a direct consequence of this political negligence.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/19/berl-m19.html