Despite periodic attempts by Berlin’s press to paint Kreuzberg as a teeming cesspool of immigrant rage, most of the area’s neighbourhoods are functional and safe. Still, you should exercise caution in poorly lit or deserted spots at night, especially when walking alone. Many Kreuzberg residents do not walk through Görlitzer Park at night, and many find Kottbusser Tor, where a lot of homeless people and their dogs hang out, to be unpleasant. Be aware that annual protests on May Day almost always escalate into rioting.