As long as there are humans, there will get fascists. It's one of life's constants.
I never said it was a thing throughout all human history.
I don't think it's related. It's been a new years tradition in Berlin for years.
I have friends and family in Berlin and I spent new year's Eve there five years ago. It was totally crazy. People shooting fireworks at each other in the streets and from/to the balconies.
I ended up with a jacket full of burn holes, and we were in a kind of quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of the city.
In German news they say its more like 400 arrested, and there was the little fact that police presence was higher than normal. More police equal more arrestings.
That checks out. I live near a college town where for 2-3 years there was a rash of "college riots" where police tear-gassed everyone in the streets when they felt it was getting out of hand. The solution to keeping the students from rioting ended up being... stop sending cops out there. Everything was fine.
Last year was a lot worse. The police direktor said they were prepared a lot better this year and injuries amongst police and fire department were minor. People buy illegal fireworks in Poland like firework shells and light them on the streets without the mortar tubes. Looks pretty apocalyptic.
