Bystanders hinder emergency aid for collapsed woman in Germany

A crowd of onlookers, some with children, obstructed emergency responders treating a collapsed woman in Braunschweig, Germany. Police reported that three patrol cars were needed Tuesday evening to keep the gawkers back from the 34-year-old woman on Schlossplatz. Two passersby had noticed the woman's critical condition and provided first aid until an ambulance arrived. The woman was later hospitalized. The crowd's behavior hampered the work of emergency personnel. Police stated that the individuals responded to their requests slowly or not at all. The fire department ultimately set up a privacy screen for the woman. Markus Glomb, head of the Braunschweig-Mitte police department, called the behavior "socially harmful and unacceptable," warning that it could lead to criminal charges if it impedes rescue operations. He added that "tactful consideration for the situation of the injured should be a matter of course in our social coexistence."