Moment of silence for Rouven L. - Mannheim grieves the loss of a police officer.
It's 11:34 AM at the Mannheim Market Square, and everything is calm. Exactly a week ago, a 25-year-old Afghan man stabbed police officer Rouven L., who sadly passed away. To honor his memory, Federal President Steinmeier along with other colleagues of L. stood in silence at this time.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, together with Winfried Kretschmann from the Greens and Thomas Strobl from the CDU, gathered at the Market Square. His parents and other family members joined them for this somber event. I believe this is entirely appropriate.
The Baden-Württemberg Police urged everyone to remember Officer Rouven L. by observing a moment of silence at this particular time. Last Friday, the Afghan had brutally assaulted five members of the Pax Europa, an Islamic-critical group, and Officer L. with a knife at the square. L. eventually succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.
Steinmeier placed a wreath of flowers at the crime scene. He described the incident as a "bloody terrorist act." The possible motive behind the attack was political, most likely Islamic in nature, Steinmeier mentioned. Over the past few weeks, we've seen other "repulsive acts of politically motivated violence," Steinmeier said. "We, the democrats of this country, must not accept violence as part of political disputes." Violence needs to cease.
Over a thousand people attended the memorial event in the city of 300,000 residents. A police spokesperson estimated the participants to be between 1,500 and 2,000. After the moment of silence, the crowd applauded. All across the nation, police officers observed a moment of silence at the same time.
In Mannheim's police headquarters, roughly fifty officers stood in front of the sea of flowers and remembered their lost colleague with folded hands. The police spokesperson revealed that these were primarily patrol officers.
Many officers wore blue bands on their uniforms as a token of mourning, solidarity, and protest against violence. The German Police Union had requested these bands on Thursday as a "sign of mourning, a sign of solidarity, and a visible sign against violence."
A silent march, known as the "Blue Light Family," was held in Berlin by the German Police Union and the Police Union.
Several demonstrations and events are planned for later in the afternoon in Mannheim. At 4:30 PM, there's a rally under the title "Mannheim Stands Together - for Democracy and Diversity," supported by the German Trade Union Confederation and other democratic parties and religious communities.
The far-right political party AFD intends to demonstrate at the Market Square, with the aim of protesting against Islamism. At the same time, a counter-demonstration by the Antifa is planned. Earlier at 5:30 PM, a demonstration by "Mannheim against the Right" is scheduled against the AFD rally.
Whether the AFD protest will occur on the market square is currently uncertain. On Thursday, the Administrative Court of Karlsruhe granted the AFD's appeal against a temporary ban on events, including demonstrations, on the market square. The city has subsequently filed an appeal against this ruling. The city intends to hold the demonstration on the nearby Paradeplatz.
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The German Police Union, led by Thomas Strobl, requested blue bands for officers to wear as a symbol of mourning, solidarity, and protest against violence following the attack. The Police Union, in collaboration with the German Police Union, organized a silent march in Berlin, known as the "Blue Light Family," to show support for the fallen officer and condemn violence. Winfried Kretschmann, a prominent political figure in the Greens, attended the memorial event in Mannheim to honor the memory of Rouven L., the police officer who was tragically killed.
