Alcohol Ban at Train Stations: Not My Beer

This commentary by Wolfgang Mulke, published on taz.de on July 21, 2026, critiques Deutsche Bahn's planned alcohol ban at train stations, intended to reduce crime and improve safety. The author argues the ban merely shifts the problem of public drinking to non-railway areas, burdening municipalities and local police. Citing recent violent incidents involving intoxicated passengers—including an attack on a ticket inspector and a fatal assault on a train attendant—Mulke questions the ban's effectiveness, suggesting it could provoke resistance from groups like football fans. He advocates for alternative measures such as double-staffed patrols, body cameras, harsher penalties for assaults on railway staff, and broader societal condemnation of violence. The piece reflects a left-leaning, critical perspective on corporate and policy responses to public safety issues.