How then does xenophobic violence in Germany and Berlin compare to, say, rates of homicide, hate motivated and otherwise, in the United States?
Xenophobic violence (including all violent offenses) in Berlin shows about one fourth of the current American homicide rates and one twelfth of the homicide rate of a major city such as Chicago (homicides are, of course, only the tip of the iceberg of violent offenses). Within Berlin, some of the eastern neighborhoods have been declared No-go Areas by the Africa Council, the Umbrella Organization of African Associations and Initiatives, Berlin-Brandenburg. These neighborhoods are Pankow, Lichtenberg, Marzahn, Hellersdorf and Koepenick. Violence in these sections of Berlin is included in the citys average rate of xenophobic violence. Violence in the citys center, where the conference will be held, and in the western districts, is thus likely not higher than in Germanys West, at a rate of 1 per 100,000 population. Three states surrounding Berlin have also been declared No-go-Areas. These are Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. Yet, safety is not guaranteed anywhere. We thus direct the
