Radical views and actions - Quiet memorial pay tribute to fallen officer in Mannheim.
A policewoman in her twenties, tears streaming down her face, stands amidst her colleagues in Mannheim, while a man, sobbing, kneels before a sea of flowers in the city's market square: Video clips online show how deeply the fatal knife attack in Mannheim has affected the city, and people far beyond its borders.
Tragically, the 29-year-old police officer Rouven Laur lost his life during this assault on Friday. Meanwhile, five other men were injured when a 25-year-old Afghan targeted attendees of a protest by the Islam-critical movement Pax Europa (BPE) with a knife. The incident has sparked discussions about tighter deportation policies and concerns over potential clashes at future demonstrations.
One week after the incident, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will pay tribute to Rouven Laur in Mannheim. The police forces in Baden-Württemberg have scheduled a moment of silence at 11:34 a.m., the exact time of the deadly attack on the officer. Steinmeier is expected to lay a wreath at the site of the crime. Joining him will be the state's Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (The Greens) and Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU). The state government has requested that employees from ministries, schools, and parliament participate in the moment of silence.
Additionally, the AfD has called for a demonstration against Islamism on the market square today. At the same time, an anti-fascist counter-demonstration is planned. Initially, the city prevented such events from taking place on the market square. But after the Afghan citizen's appeal to the Administrative Court of Karlsruhe, the court granted the emergency application. The city then decided to appeal the decision, and the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg must now make a final ruling.
"We want to demonstrate two days before the European elections exactly where Islamic terror struck to send a clear political signal throughout the republic." This was the announcement made by AfD state chairman, Markus Frohnmaier.
Concerns regarding these planned demonstrations have been expressed in advance. A week prior to the attack, heated scenes had transpired on the market square. An inter-party alliance had urged people to gather in remembrance of victims of violence and hatred. Simultaneously, a demonstration of the Young Alternative took place on the market square. The rally organized by the youth group of the AfD was themed around "Remigration would have prevented this act!" on the internet, clips show police officers clashing with a group of Anti-Fascist activists. The latter group waved red flags and set off fireworks. On the market square, "Nazis out" became a chant.
Despite the pain they continue to endure, the five victims of the attack are recovering a week later. "We are all still in shock," says Stefanie Kizina from Pax Europa. "You have to gather your thoughts first, you have to process what's happened. (...) You've always felt that something will happen, but it never seemed that bad."
Board member Michael Stürzenberger, now hospitalized, is concerningly facing four to eight weeks of recovery due to his severe blood loss from his injuries.
In response to this tragedy, the movement plans to increase its focus on the safety of its members. "There will be no more events without protective netting," continues Kizina. "The police officers are now paying more attention to us."
The chairman of the German Police Union, Ralf Kusterer, has expressed admiration for the great solidarity shown after Rouven Laur's death. However, mixed emotions are rising amidst officers following the incident. "People feel disappointed," he notes about the current mood among police officers. "Frustration with politics is immense." In the aftermath of such events, there are always extensive political discussions and demands, yet little changes. Consequently, it's essential to review training for police officers, adequate equipment, and appropriate medical treatment for wounds sustained during attacks.
The police officers who were involved in the incident a week after the knife attack are being psychologically tended to. A spokesperson for the Mannheim Police stated, "Those who worked with Laur and were present during the unfortunate event are currently receiving psychological care." The President of the Mannheim Police Headquarters, Ulrike Schäfer, only reported that officers are receiving psychological assistance.
Criminal and police psychologist Ursula Gasch informed the "Mannheimer Morgen": "When an event like this fatal knife attack occurs, the collective reaction is one of shock and grief. There's talk of what's sometimes called police culture, but it's more about the positive collegial solidarity reflecting a life-saving attitude towards the dangers associated with this profession." Consequently, an attack on a police officer is seen as an attack on every police officer, in every location.
The fatal knife attack has stirred up discussions regarding stricter deportation rules. In response, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) seeks to reinstate the deportation of serious criminals to Afghanistan and Syria. Scholz stated in the Bundestag, "Criminals who are serious should be deported, even if they are from Afghanistan and Syria. Their threat to society hasn't subsided."
Details about how Scholz plans to accomplish this are currently uncertain. The Interior Ministry is occupied with the practical implementation and has even started discussions with Afghanistan's neighboring nations.
Green politicians, though, urge caution with deporting lawbreakers to Afghanistan. Luise Amtsberg, the human rights commissioner of the federal government (Greens), told "taz" (online), "Each deportation and deportation to Afghanistan necessitates working with this Islamist terrorist regime, almost acknowledging the Taliban. In my opinion, that would be a huge mistake."
Karl Kopp, the head of the aid organization Pro Asyl, finds the Scholz plans to be illegal. In an interview with the "Augsburger Allgemeinen," Kopp affirmed, "International law unequivocally forbids deportations to Afghanistan and Syria." These countries pose the threat of torture and inhumane punishments, points out the United Nations repeatedly.
Thorsten Frei, the CDU/CSU's parliamentary leader in the Bundestag, welcomed Scholz's statement. "That's at least a decisive move in the right direction," Frei expressed on Friday on Deutschlandfunk. He, nonetheless, questioned whether actions would follow these announcements. Reflecting on an interview with the Chancellor in "Spiegel" last year, Frei remarked, "Scholz had already declared in the fall that he wanted to deport in a greater capacity."
