Because they are fixated on their smartphones, the players completely forget about their surroundings. Law enforcement workers were already on the scene because the corner of Burggasse and Orestiadastraße was blocked and garbage left behind. Local residents had already complained to the authorities, especially because players parked their vehicles in no-parking zones, blocking walkways and parts of the street. They are now attempting to be safer and tidier. “For us, it’s just about public safety,” said Ursula Thiel, head of the Ordnungsamt (division responsible for maintaining public order).

The reasons for the large presence of players is the unique location of “Bartmännchen”. Here, they are able to access three different Poké-Stops. These can be visited every five minutes and they provide different kinds of useful “Items,” which are virtual utensils that help the players. A 39-year-old who did not want to be named, mused that he came to this location on his lunch breaks to collect some “Items” and catch Pokémon.

A group of youths prepared for a longer stay outside of “Bartmännchen”, bringing a tent, camping chairs and music. “We met playing Pokémon Go and are here every day. Each player invested a few euros, and we were able to buy the tent and also a kiddie pool for the hotter days,” said player Patrick Müller-Chorus. Law officials have also left an impression, playing the Pokémon theme song over the loudspeakers of the police vehicle.

The game is currently posing a challenge for authorities, especially in terms of traffic safety. A bridge had to be closed temporarily in Düsseldorf because it was full of players. Consumer safety experts remind players that they need to be aware of their surroundings, despite their fixation with the game.

(Orig. text: Franziska Bähr, Dominik Pieper; Translation: Geena Kloeppel)