Illegal Swimming in the Spree River - Police Issues Cautionary Statement - Unlawful Swimming in the Spree River Warned by Authorities
In the heart of Berlin, a historic protest is taking place as citizens rally against a swimming ban that has been in effect since 1925. The "Mitschwimm-Demo" (Swim-along Demo) is scheduled before a larger protest at Schinkelplatz near Museumsinsel in Berlin-Mitte.
Despite the lack of officially designated swimming areas in the Spree River, there is a growing movement advocating for the lifting of this century-old ban. Recent studies by nonprofit Flussbad Berlin and the Berlin Centre of Competence for Water have shown that water quality in some parts of the river can be acceptable for swimming, except during heavy rains when sewer overflows degrade the water. Flussbad is also working on a real-time water quality monitoring system to ensure swimming safety.
Hundreds of people have staged bold public swims near central locations like Museumsinsel as a form of protest against the ban. However, the protest on August 2025 is not taking place within the exceptionally allowed area and time.
Swimming in the Spree is generally prohibited, but an exception has been made today between Schinkelplatz and Schlossfreiheit. The police have warned about the strong current in the Spree and asked for caution. It's important to note that the designated entrance/exit to the water is located south of the Schlossbrücke at Schinkelplatz.
The police have been warned about the protest and have reminded the public about the swimming ban and the exception. Some people may have misunderstood a call for a demonstration and attempted to jump into the Spree between the main station and Mühlenstraße.
The organization behind the protest is Flussbad Berlin, a nonprofit advocating for the creation of safe swimming opportunities in the city center. While outer districts of Berlin have many lakes where wild swimming is allowed, the city center Spree remains off-limits.
The current temperatures are up to 30 degrees, making the prospect of a swim in the Spree particularly appealing. As the debate continues, it's clear that the issue of swimming in the Spree River is far from settled, with citizens and activists pushing for change and the authorities maintaining the current ban.
