Berlin police are looking for “male” perpetrators.

Berlin police wrote that they were searching for three “previously unknown men.” They are said to have insulted and physically attacked a homophobic man at the end of June. When the victim tried to escape, he fell and the perpetrators kicked the 32-year-old and stole his bag. According to the police description, the suspects are: approximately 17 years old, 1.70 to 1.75 meters tall, with dark hair and a “readable male.”

The outcry now follows because of the last description. The newspaper “Bild” writes about “Wake up the alarm clock.” The published photos show three people, most likely men. But why this formula?

A police spokesman told the Tagesspiegel newspaper that the wording was based on a decision taken by the Central Office for Hate Crimes in each case. “Dealing sensitively with those affected by the misanthropy associated with the group” is part of the daily work there.

Benjamin Gendreau, a police union spokesman, criticized the wording on Twitter follower X: He also couldn't quite understand why it was written that way in the personal description. They trust that everyone can get an idea about the people they are searching for based on the recordings. He fears that potential witnesses will refrain from reporting because they might understand the person differently.

The head of the police union described the wording published by the newspaper “Bild” as “counterproductive.” “The press office should limit itself to the technical side and leave the ideological side behind,” says Rainer Wendt.