- Individual from Chechnya advocates for prohibition of knives on buses and trains.
After the gruesome knife attack in Solingen that claimed the lives of three individuals, Hamburg's Mayor, Peter Tschentscher (SPD), has advocated for broadening the prohibition on weapons to encompass public transportation. "We need to ban the carrying of weapons in public areas – and that includes hazardous knives," Tschentscher stated to the "Hamburger Abendblatt".
Hamburg had already set in motion such a move before the unfortunate event, facing resistance from CDU-led federal states. The tragic incident in Solingen further underscores the necessity of restricting such weapons from being carried on buses, trains, or any other public areas.
Tschentscher: More security, not absolute
"A knife ban won't provide absolute security, but it does enhance security," Tschentscher underscored in the newspaper interview. By implementing a ban on weapons, it becomes simpler to monitor and deal with suspicious individuals preemptively. "By implementing a ban like the one at Hamburg's central station, the Reeperbahn, and the Hansaplatz, we've achieved positive results."
The suspected Islamist-inspired attack in Solingen on August 23 saw the assailant slay three festival attendees using a knife and leave eight others wounded. A 26-year-old man from Syria, who had entered Germany as a refugee via Bulgaria, is the main suspect in the crime.
The call for broadening the prohibition on weapons includes a proposal to prevent the carrying of weapons, such as hazardous knives, in public transportation. In response to the knife attack in Solingen, Tschentscher emphasized that while a knife ban won't offer absolute security, it can enhance security by making it easier to monitor and deal with suspicious individuals.
