Incident in Solingen sparks discussion on law enforcement authority and immigration regulations policy
On a Sunday evening, following the tragic incident on Friday that left three dead and eight injured, the extremist group ISIS took responsibility for the incident. Subsequently, a 26-year-old Syrian man surrendered to authorities. This individual, who has resided in Germany for two years and was slated for deportation last year, is now under investigation by the federal prosecutor's office, with a warrant for his arrest issued on the following day.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz leveraged the incident and initial findings of the investigation to pen a letter to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), advocating for a change in immigration policies. "It's not the knives, but the people wielding them, that pose the problem," Merz wrote in the obtained email by AFP news agency. "In the vast majority of instances, these individuals are refugees, and in the majority of instances, their motivations stem from radical Islam," Merz continued.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil suggested a set of measures against Islamic terrorism. "Frequently, we observe perpetrators radicalizing themselves within a few months online," Klingbeil said to Funke newspapers.
AfD leader Alice Weidel argued that the root cause should be addressed. "Immediate migration policy reversal is required," she stated on X.
Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, in connection with the migration debate, stated in Flensburg, "There should be no tolerance for murderers, terrorists, or radical Islamists." Should the suspects be asylum seekers, they would have "forfeited their right to protection in Germany."
Habeck also advocated for stricter gun laws. "More weapon-free zones and tougher gun laws are needed," he said. "No one needs to carry stabbing or cutting weapons in public spaces in Germany. We're not living in the Middle Ages."
CSU leader Markus Söder identified flaws in the authorities' capabilities. "We lack the appropriate tools to confront violence and respond to it," he said on ARD. "When it comes to vehicles, you are inspected, even without cause. Not in pedestrian zones."
Interior Minister Faeser announced that the state would confront the Islamic threat decisively. "We're having intense discussions to determine the necessary tools to intensify our fight against terror and violence, and to expand the powers of our security authorities to protect our population as effectively as possible," Faeser said.
Before the Solingen attack, Faeser had already proposed a bill to expand knife bans. The plan included banning additional types of knives, establishing more weapon-free zones, and providing the police with broader powers of control.
The FDP, in the coalition, has been particularly critical of this proposal. Now, FDP Justice Minister Marco Buschmann hinted at his approval. "After Solingen, all topics should be on the table: The gun law is not taboo," Buschmann wrote on X on Sunday.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also advocated for better protection against attacks. In ZDF, he called for more personnel for the security authorities, as well as broader powers for the Federal Criminal Police Office in the event of a terrorist threat.
The debate about the lessons from the attack occurred against the backdrop of the upcoming state elections in Thuringia and Saxony on the following Sunday. According to an Insa poll for "Bild am Sonntag," the AfD could emerge as the strongest force in both federal states. In Saxony, it is reported to have 32 percent, while in Thuringia, it is at 30 percent.
President Steinmeier has now called for national unity. "Now, it's crucial that we as Germans refrain from allowing ourselves to be divided and torn apart," said Steinmeier. "We must not provide a platform for hate speech and incitement, such as expressed by some."
The police were involved in the investigation of the Syrian man linked to the tragic incident, as they issued a warrant for his arrest. Following the incident, there were calls from political leaders for stricter measures to combat terrorism and radicalization, with Interior Minister Faeser proposing to expand knife bans and establish more weapon-free zones.
