Stabbing incident - Quiet memorial: Mannheim pays tribute to slain police officer.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier honored police officer Rouven Laur, who was killed in Mannheim a week ago, at the location where the incident took place. Joining Steinmeier were Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) and Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) as they observed a moment of silence at 11:34 a.m. to commemorate Laur. Present were Laur's parents and other relatives. The police in Baden-Württemberg had requested a moment stillness.
A week earlier, a 25-year-old Afghan had assaulted five members of the anti-Islam group Pax Europa and fatally knifed the 29-year-old officer at the city square. Laur succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Steinmeier set down a floral tribute at the scene of the crime. In the 300,000-person populated city in north-western Baden-Württemberg, hundreds gathered on the square to pay their respects to Laur. Approximately 1,500-2,000 people were present. After the moment of silence, applause erupted on the square. Simultaneously, police officers in the state stood in silence.
In Mannheim, over fifty police officers gathered to pay respects to their sombre companion. As relayed by a police spokesperson, patrol officers from Mannheim Police Headquarters were front and center in front of the flower sea on the square, standing with their hands behind their backs during the colleague's memorial.
Countless police officers sported blue ribbons on their uniforms. The German Police Union urged the usage of blue ribbons as "a symbol of mourning, an emblem of solidarity and a visible affront to violence."
In the afternoon, public gatherings and rallies were scheduled in Mannheim. There was a rally at 4:30 p.m. organised by the German Trades Union Confederation (Mannheim division) and representatives from democratic political parties and religious groups.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) planned a demonstration at 6 p.m. against Islamism. Simultaneously, an antifascist march was planned by the 'Mannheim against the Right' coalition. There was uncertainty if the AfD would proceed with their demonstration on the market square as initially planned. On Thursday, the Administrative Court of Karlsruhe ruled in favor of the AfD's emergency application against the city-wide disallowance of events - including public demonstrations - on the square, which was transformed into a temporary memorial for the late police officer. Mannheim petitioned against the court's decision, preferring the demonstration to take place on the nearby parade ground.
