Extremism - Police "stunned" after knife attack
About a month after the fatal stabbing attack on the Mannheim Marketplace, the mood at the Mannheim Police Headquarters remains heavy. "There is still a lot of disbelief and four weeks are no time to properly process things. I believe everyone is trying to get back to normal now", said Anna Koch, a social counselor at the Mannheim Police Headquarters. The constant confrontation with crises is emotionally draining, and at the same time it is important to ensure the functionality of the police.
On May 31st, a 25-year-old Afghan stabbed five men on the Mannheim Marketplace. The 29-year-old policeman Rouven Laur died two days later from his injuries.
Some of the officers who were present at the incident on the Mannheimer Marketplace have not returned to duty yet. The presidium does not provide further information on the condition of the affected officers.
Martin Jost, Police Commissioner in the Investigation Department, was directly involved in the incident on the Mannheimer Marketplace. The 54-year-old described the situation as chaotic. He stayed with the injured colleague Rouven Laur until medical personnel arrived.
Jost did not know the colleague personally. However, the events weighed heavily on him, as he himself admitted. "I'm still not doing well today. For me, this is also not the first time that a colleague has been seriously injured." Other situations also came to mind and weighed on him. He is taking psychological support. "Talking about it and processing it helps."
Jost reported that his colleagues reacted differently to the experiences on the Marketplace. "There are colleagues who will probably avoid the Marketplace for a long time." He himself had done a lot of sports - cycling, running, swimming. "Basically, away from work, out in nature, and switch off." He had tried not to think about it too much. "So there were a lot of bike miles that came together."
Anna Koch also said that everyone processes traumatic events like the stabbing attack differently. "I wouldn't necessarily say that it's good for everyone and everyone to go home and rest if they're alone at home and have no opportunity to talk about what they've processed." That could also lead to excessive rumination. "I would rather advise people to try to return to work, because they have their accustomed environment there, because they have a familiar daily routine."
However, one can also look and see if the current activity is still appropriate, said Koch. One could also return to the internal service.
Jost described the time after the incident as difficult and emotional. "The weeks that followed were like a rollercoaster ride in principle." On the one hand, there was great support from the population, such as when people on the Marketplace spontaneously began clapping during the memorial minute for Rouven Laur. On the other hand, people continued to commit crimes and carry on as before. "That's naturally very challenging."
- The incident at the Mannheim Marketplace has sparked discussions about extremism in Baden-Württemberg, with concerns about radicalization among certain groups.
- The police are implementing new measures to address this issue, focusing on early intervention and prevention strategies.
- As of June 30, there have been two knife attacks reported in Mannheim this year, both believed to be motivated by extremist ideologies.
- The police are working closely with the Justice Department to expedite proceedings and ensure that those responsible face justice in Germany.
- The knife attack that claimed the life of Rouven Laur has served as a harsh reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in dealing with extremist threats.
- Stunned by the loss of their colleague, men and women in the Mannheim Police Headquarters have redoubled their efforts to ensure public safety.
- The police are offering psychological support to those directly affected by the incident, including officers who were present at the Marketplace and family members of Rouven Laur.
- In the aftermath of the attack, Rouven Laur's legacy remains a powerful inspiration for the police, driving them to work even harder to protect their community from the threat of extremism.
