Law enforcement officials have arrested an individual who reportedly committed a crime. - Man allegedly stabs multiple individuals in Mannheim; Could a political motivation be the underlying cause?
In Mannheim, a man armed with a knife launched an attack on several individuals including a police officer. The injured patrolman had to go through surgery, leaving him in critical condition. A representative from the anti-Islam movement Pax Europa (BPE) Stefanie Kizina ascertained that the event was being targeted. She further informed that the board member, Michael Stürzenberger, was among those injured during the assault.
The Federal Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser (SPD), responded by labelling the crime as appalling. She was disturbingly quoted as saying, "The appalling images of this violent act send shockwaves." Faeser outlined their plans to discover the cause behind the heinous act, particularly the motive of the attacker. She also added, "If it's revealed that this was driven by Islamic motives, it would be further evidence of the significant danger posed by such acts of violence, a danger we've emphasized before."
Kizina made her comments to Bild: "The assault occurred before the event began, suggesting it was planned meticulously." The city administration acknowledged the registration of the event by BPE for Friday morning. A spokeswoman for the city added to this information by sharing, "There doesn't seem to be any danger to Stürzenberger's life but he did sustain injuries to his face and leg, which will necessitate surgery."
Stürzenberger, a leading figure in the group is 59 years old. BPE does not differentiate between Islam and Islamism on their website - both are blamed for "aggressive disdain and intolerance." The Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution published their annual report for 2022, revealing a "node of suspicion" against Stürzenberger and BPE Bavaria for "constitutionally relevant anti-Islamic endeavors" targeted to end religious freedom for Muslims. However, in their latest report for 2023, Stürzenberger and BPE Bavaria are no longer mentioned – their inactivity is cited as the reason for their absence. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution continues to monitor them.
A video showing the horrifying incident quickly spread across the internet. In the recording, a man can be seen slashing multiple people during the gathering. Onlookers can be heard shouting, "Take the knife away!" A police officer is captured in the clip as well, firing at the attacker. As per police, the assailant also sustained injuries. Mannheim's marketplace, a commmercial hub for a city with 300,000 inhabitants in north Baden-Württemberg, was the site of the bloodshed.
Authorities at first could not determine how many people were injured in the assault. All of the victims were rushed to hospitals. A spokesman described the injuries as "partially serious." The Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office took control of the investigation. In the aftermath of the crime, the square was sealed with red and white tape while barriers were set up and a nearby tram station was closed. Emergency services, including a rescue helicopter, were deployed to tend to the wounded. Police gathered traces for their investigation.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) shared his disbelief on the platform X: "The images from Mannheim are overwhelming," he wrote. "A number of individuals were seriously injured by a perpetrator. My thoughts are with the victims. Violence is entirely unacceptable in our democratic society. The offender should face severe punishment."
Christian Specht, the CDU mayor, was equally disturbed: "This horrifying attack has stunned and left us shellshocked," he said. "Our thoughts are with the injured policeman and other injured victims. However, we urge everyone to refrain from conjecturing about the motives, and to wait for the results of the ongoing investigation."
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- The police in Baden-Württemberg are investigating the crime, as they aim to identify and apprehend the attacker who stabbed several individuals, including a police officer, in Mannheim.
- In response to the crime, Nancy Faeser, the Federal Interior Minister from the SPD party, condemned the attack and vowed to uncover the motive, emphasizing the potential danger of Islamic extremism in such incidents.
- German media outlet Bild reported comments from Stefanie Kizina, a representative from the anti-Islam movement Pax Europa (BPE), who suggested that the attack was planned and targeted.
- The investigation into the crime revealed that Michael Stürzenberger, a board member of the BPE and a leading figure in the group, was among those injured during the assault.
- Germany's Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution listed BPE Bavaria as a "node of suspicion" in their annual report for 2022 due to anti-Islamic endeavors aimed at restricting religious freedom for Muslims, but the group was removed from their latest report for 2023 due to inactivity.
- Although the severity of injuries varied among the victims, all individuals were rushed to hospitals in Mannheim, a commercial hub in north Baden-Württemberg, with emergency services and a rescue helicopter on standby to assist.
