Outraged Elderer Reveals Incident of Assault on Giffey
A 74-year-old, who attacked Berlin's economy senator Franziska Giffey with a bag filled with newspapers in a library back in May, admitted to the act in court. He claimed he hit Giffey around the ears to give her a lesson.
The man, referring to himself as a homeless stateless individual, was agitated that Giffey had failed to respond to his letters for two decades. He was also frustrated that she appeared to boast about the library during her visit. He further pointed out his grievances towards the "Nazi housing office," the citizen's office, or the library that refused to issue him an ID. "I had enough grounds to be angry with her," he stated.
The 74-year-old was temporarily detained the day after the incident and has been in a hospital of a secure institution since then. The prosecution has accused him of causing bodily harm. The man intentionally struck Giffey on her head and neck area, and another woman on her arm. According to the prosecution, the bag contained a heavy object. However, the defendant argued in court that it only contained newspapers.
The prosecution believes that the senior committed the act due to impaired responsibility. They are seeking an indefinite commitment of the man to a psychiatric hospital via a so-called security procedure. According to prosecutor Tobias Dettmer, the defendant suffers from a delusional disorder and there's a risk he may commit further serious crimes.
The loss of innocence
Giffey was also summoned as a witness in court. She reported that she was having a conversation with the library director when she suddenly received a blow to her neck. The object felt like a cloth bag filled with several books.
After the attack, the man instantly left the library. The library director recognized him as a regular guest and reported him. Giffey confirmed that she had been receiving hate, threat, and insult emails from the man for years. She believes the attack was spontaneous as the appointment wasn't publicly announced, and she didn't have her usual security during such meetings.
Following the attack, Giffey continued with her appointments and underwent an examination in the Neukölln hospital the same evening. No immediate injuries were detected. However, she reported experiencing pain for about two days and the incident still affects her today. Despite this, she remains committed to her work, albeit with a restricted sense of innocence and safety while moving around the city, as she mentioned. The trial is scheduled to continue with three more court sessions until mid-October.
The following incident involved the man expressing his anger towards Berlin's economy senator Franziska Giffey, as he believed she had ignored his grievances for two decades. Later in court, the man contested that the bag he used contained only newspapers, not a heavy object.
