"It is essential for potentially hazardous individuals to depart our nation immediately"
A police officer's death due to a knife attack in Mannheim has stirred up discussions regarding the repercussions for foreign criminals. Numerous politicians are advocating for the deportation of individuals to countries like Afghanistan. Dirk Wiese, vice-chairman of the SPD faction, is also pushing for more municipal knife-free zones.
After the fatal knife attack in Mannheim, there are demands from both the SPD and FDP for deportations to Afghanistan to be made possible once more. These were halted with the takeover of the Taliban in August 2021. "Those who commit serious crimes in Germany without a German pass and pose a threat or danger to the constitutional order must leave our country as soon as possible," said SPD faction vice-chairman Dirk Wiese to the "Sueddeutsche Zeitung." This should also include people from Afghanistan.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai voiced his support for this stance as well. "I believe that deportations should also be an option for Afghanistan," said the FDP General Secretary. He further added, "It is inconceivable that a criminal in Germany cannot be deported." Wiese urged the federal government to pave the way for this. "After the reasonable temporary stop on deportations, the Foreign Office should allow deportations to Afghanistan again in the future."
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann speculates that the attack may have been Islamist-motivated. "If this is the case, then we must deport these people. Even to Afghanistan, regardless of their origin," said the CDU General Secretary. He went on to say, "Anyone who is a guest in a country and violates its customs, rules, and commits murder has simply found no place here. This should not be a cliché, but a reality."
FDP politician Wolfgang Kubicki is astonished that politics, the media, and society seem to be more agitated about a video with racist slogans in a bar than about the officer's murder. "Mannheim is far worse than Sylt - but not everyone realizes this," said FDP Vice Kubicki to the "Hamburger Abendblatt." "This Islamist wanted to deliberately and out of hatred kill the police officer. Such acts erode people's trust in our legal system significantly." On the island of Sylt, young people were filmed chanting the xenophobic slogans "Foreigners Out" and "Germany for the Germans" to the tune of Gigi D'Agostino's hit "L'amour Toujours." The video quickly spread on the internet, and all involved lost their jobs shortly after.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Scholz proclaimed a stringent approach towards assaults on civil servants and security personnel. In a statement on X, the Federal Chancellor wrote, "The police officer killed in Mannheim defended our right to voice our own opinion." "If extremists want to curtail these rights through violence, they must understand: We are their fiercest opponents. We will take action using all means of our rule of law."
SPD Deputy Faction Leader Wiese also stated in the "Rheinische Post" that more knife-free zones in municipalities could "locally strengthen the police and prevent future crimes, though it cannot preclude every crime, especially those committed by radicalized or impulsive individuals."
The Union faction is now requesting a government statement from Chancellor Scholz. "We will bring this crime before the Bundestag as soon as possible this week. Under these circumstances, a government statement would be appropriate," said the Parliamentary Affairs Manager Thorsten Frei. The Union has previously emphasized the dangers of radical Islam and urged the government to take action. "Our rule of law has the necessary tools to combat these dangers. It now boils down to the political will to employ them," Frei continued.
On Friday, a 25-year-old Afghan assaulted an Islam-critical stand in Mannheim with a knife. A 29-year-old police officer attempted to detain the assailant and was seriously injured. On Sunday, the officer succumbed to these injuries. During the Friday attack, six people sustained injuries. The assailant was apprehended by the police using force and was injured in the process.
Read also:
- Following the tragic knife attack in Mannheim, Carsten Linnemann from the CDU suggested that individuals involved in such attacks, even if they are from Afghanistan, should be deported.
- During the SPD faction meeting, vice-chairman Dirk Wiese advocated for the resumption of deportations to Afghanistan, stating that those who pose a threat to the constitutional order must leave Germany as soon as possible.
- Bijan Djir-Sarai, the FDP General Secretary, backed this stance, stating that it is unacceptable for a criminal in Germany to evade deportation, regardless of the destination country.
- International discussions surrounding the case have involved figures like Olaf Scholz, who has emphasized a firm approach towards assaults on civil servants and security personnel, including police officers.
