Illegality - CDU Politician Undergoes Assault During Aalen Election Campaign
MP Roderich Kiesewetter got into a physical altercation during a CDU rally in Aalen, a town east of Stuttgart. A 55-year-old man assaulted him, causing minor injuries. Kiesewetter didn't require medical attention right away. The attacker escaped, and the police were still pursuing leads. Police have previous encounters with the suspect.
The encounter happened at around 9:15 am on Saturday, in Aalen's market square. The police statement didn't provide any details about the motives behind the attack.
Kiesewetter spoke with the "Schwäbische Post", revealing he was verbally insulted first. After that, he felt provoked. "I had no clue who the person was. When I told him to back off, he tore apart the campaign stand. I then decided to capture his image and followed him. As soon as he noticed me, he lashed out and shoved me into a flower bed, inflicting some scratches on me." Officers arrived promptly, and Kiesewetter offered to drop charges if the man apologized.
On Sunday, a multi-party coalition organized a rally at 4:30 pm in central Aalen. Protesters were to form a human chain under the tagline "Solidarity against violence, hatred, and hate speech." Various politicians expressed their support for Kiesewetter, both males and females. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wished him a prompt recovery. "Violence is unacceptable in our democracy and demands a swift, firm response." Faeser posted her message on X.
Green Party chairwoman Ricarda Lang, who represents constituency Schwäbisch Gmünd, tweeted: "When one of us faces attacks, we unite as democrats!" Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) also expressed her support on the same platform: "It's incredibly disheartening that we have a barrage of reports about violent incidents against people who participate in democracy every day. However, violence must never triumph." Both politicians sent well-wishes to Kiesewetter.
