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Increased incidences of stabbing assaults at train stations are gaining momentum <unk> Faeser advocates for stricter firearm regulations

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser will enforce more stringent guidelines on knife management. Recently unveiled statistics indicate an increase in criminal activities at railway stations and on trains.

,   and  Elizabeth Wells
2 min read

- Increased incidences of stabbing assaults at train stations are gaining momentum <unk> Faeser advocates for stricter firearm regulations

Germany's Federal Police has documented 373 instances of knife-related incidents at train stations this year. According to "Bild" newspaper and the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, there were a total of 639 such incidents in 2023. Additionally, 7 knife-related incidents were reported at "halt points" - smaller stops not classified as train stations - during the first half of the year, contrasting with 11 incidents in 2023. More frequently, these incidents occurred on the tracks, where the Federal Police reported 84 knife-related incidents from January to June, following 196 incidents in the entire previous year. These statistics encompass instances where a knife was merely carried or utilized, the Federal Police clarified, leaving room for potential alterations in the data.

For the safety of German Rail and S-Bahn stations, both the rail company and the Federal Police share responsibility. In U-Bahn and buses, the operators and the respective state police are responsible.

In light of the rising knife attacks, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) advocates for stricter knife regulations. In the forthcoming weapons law, Faeser announced in "Bild am Sonntag" that she plans to "further limit knife carrying in public spaces." Public spaces will permit knives with blade lengths of up to six centimeters, as opposed to the current twelve centimeters. There will be an outright ban on carrying hazardous switchblades.

Andreas Roßkopf of the Police Trade Union (GdP) expressed to "Bild" that while a knife ban at train stations is generally reasonable, legal changes are required for the Federal Police to effectively enforce it. Currently, random checks are not possible under the current legislation.

Last summer, the Interior Ministers' Conference urged Faeser to examine a nationwide regulation on weapons bans in trains and at train stations, and if necessary, to propose modifications to German Rail's transport conditions, with a specific focus on knives. However, the transport conditions of the rail company currently state: "The following are prohibited from being carried as hand luggage or checked baggage: items and substances that are capable of disturbing or injuring fellow passengers or damaging the vehicle."

Given the rising number of knife-related incidents at train stations and the urging from the Interior Ministers' Conference, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser is advocating for stricter knife regulations in the upcoming 'Law on weapons'. She plans to "further limit knife carrying in public spaces", allowing only knives with blade lengths of up to six centimeters, while outright banning hazardous switchblades.

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