The Munich Police recently presented their final report covering the 191st Oktoberfest. The Munich Police Presidency noted that the police operations within and around the festival were characterized by an increased number of deployments and reported crimes.
In total, officers responded to 1,851 incidents, a 15 percent rise compared to the 1,598 incidents recorded the previous year. The count of reported offenses and administrative violations rose to 845, up from 784 in the prior year and 706 in 2024. This approximately eight percent increase is primarily attributed to violations of the Narcotics Act.
Despite the increase in incidents, the attendance at the festival was significantly higher than in the previous year, and thankfully, no homicide case had to be reported. Regarding robbery, five cases were registered, a sharp increase from one case in the previous period and none in 2024; investigations are ongoing.
Incidents related to violations of sexual self-determination totaled 80, up from 72 in the previous year and 56 in 2024. Most of these were sexual harassment cases, with 52 reported compared to 47 the year before. Reports of upskirting numbered eight, down from twelve in the prior year. Assault cases reached five, matching the figure from the previous year, and up from two in 2024.
In the area of violent crime, reports of bodily harm remained relatively stable at 237 cases, similar to the 236 recorded the previous year. However, dangerous bodily harm increased to 95 cases, up from 75. Twenty-five cases involved a beer stein used as a weapon, compared to 24 the year before. Assaults and physical attacks against police officers dropped to 19, a decrease from 25, though ten officers sustained injuries, up from 17.
The police filed 159 reports of theft, down from 170 in the previous year. Petty theft within the festival grounds increased to 78 cases, up from 55. Ten suspects were arrested; many were linked to multiple offenses, and investigations are underway in five cases for serious petty theft. Drug offenses saw a significant rise, with 207 reports filed compared to 148, mainly concerning cocaine. These violations climbed by over 30 percent. Three reports were filed for cannabis, as these fall under the Consumption Cannabis Law and the Health Protection Act. During entry controls, eight individuals were found with knives, prompting investigations and confiscation of the weapons.
In matters of aviation, there were 146 violations within the restricted flight zone, a massive increase from only eleven the previous year. This included 127 unauthorized drone flights, 15 manned aerial vehicles, and four additional cases. Four flights occurred over the Theresienwiese, and 26 were within the immediate vicinity.
Operationally, the police conducted 600 detentions, up from 529 the previous year. 181 of these were protective detentions aimed at preventing or halting crimes, mostly involving severely intoxicated individuals, compared to 163 the year before. The District Administrative Office issued 36 entry bans at the request of the Police Presidency. Additionally, 30 people received eviction notices from the festival grounds, which were supplemented by residential prohibitions. A total of 419 people were temporarily arrested, up from 366. The police confiscated security services valued at 707,007 Euros, up from 357,000 Euros the previous year.
In traffic, 2,087 accidents were recorded within the jurisdiction of the Munich Police Presidency, an increase from 1,923. This resulted in 27 serious and 347 minor injuries, compared to 16 serious and 293 minor injuries the year before. There were no traffic fatalities. Impaired driving incidents totaled 382, a decrease from 438, comprising 207 criminal offenses and 175 traffic violations. Of these, 232 involved e-scooters, up from 252. Drug-related driving cases rose to 139, up from 112, generating six criminal offenses and 133 administrative violations. Only 15 cases involved e-scooters, up from none. Following drunk driving or accidents under the influence, 80 driver’s licenses were seized, down from 291. Enforcement personnel prevented 92 drunk driving episodes, up from 53; 69 of these involved e-scooters. Furthermore, 31 accidents occurred under the influence, up from 23, 16 of these involving e-scooters, up from twelve. Overall, 898 vehicles were towed, a reduction of over 20 percent from the 1,187 recorded the previous year.
To ease congestion on the festival grounds, several entrances were temporarily closed and visitor flows were redirected on Saturday, September 26, and Saturday, October 3, with S-Bahn stops suspended. According to the police, these measures ensured that the fair ran smoothly on these days despite high visitor numbers. Fifty-six cameras on the festival grounds aided officers in 228 instances, and 25 operations were triggered solely by the video monitors’ observations. Bodycams were also deployed to de-escalate situations and document crimes. These figures are current as of 5:00 a.m. on October 4.
