New reports of attacks, physical violence and inhumane conditions came from the Tegel emergency shelter in Berlin almost every day. As residents report, there was a case of sexual harassment of two Kurdish women by security guards on Saturday evening around 11pm. The two women had briefly left the tent in which the Kurdish asylum seekers are isolated after the Islamist attacks of the past few days when a member of the security guard approached them and told them via his telephone translation program: “You are very beautiful, will become my lovers?” The harassment didn’t stop there. The guard tried to touch the two women and an argument erupted when they pushed the man back. During the chaotic situation, the security guard from the now infamous company TeamFlex fled. Although those affected demanded that the police be called to find the perpetrator, nothing was done. So the Kurdish asylum seekers spent the whole night searching in vain for the perpetrator.

Repeated reports of attacks by TeamFlex Security

TeamFlex’s security guards are notorious for more than just their jihadist-sympathizing staff. There are repeated reports of sexual harassment by the security service. In September, 130 women from Ukraine called for the security service to be replaced due to, among other things, sexual harassment. According to the complaint letter, male members of the security service searched the bags of women “who came out of the shower stalls and looked closely at the women’s underwear in the bags.” Similar attacks are also reported against Kurdish asylum seekers in the accommodation.

Residents report that Kurdish women have repeatedly been observed and harassed in their rooms or in the showers by “anti-Kurdish racists and jihadists.” In the past few days the Kurdish asylum seekers have repeatedly contacted the facility’s social management and other bodies. Nevertheless, nothing happened.

“We are forced into an inhumane existence”

Kurdish woman Ayşegül Bulut (28) said: “We have been held at Tegel arrival center for a month and are constantly confronted with stares, social harassment and verbal attacks. We are mainly harassed by racists of Arab origin. We cannot leave our children alone. We live in constant fear that something could happen to them at any moment. We are forced to live in a way that is inhumane and we cannot find anyone to turn to. We don’t know what will happen next and we are in a constant state of panic. We find ourselves in an environment in which we are exposed to racist attacks and harassment.”

Bulut called on the public to follow the situation in Tegel with the greatest attention.