The Visit of the Chancellor - Scholz journeys to Solingen following the incident
After the gruesome stabbing incident in Solingen, three days prior, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) ventured to the Bergisch city. Upon arrival, Scholz was greeted by Mayor Tim Kurzbach at the town hall in the morning. Other notable attendees included North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President Hendrik Wüst (CDU), Deputy Minister President Mona Neubaur (Greens), and NRW's Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU).
Discussions at the town hall led to the arrangement of a memorial at the attack site in the city center. Scholz also intended to hold talks with the emergency services.
A tragic incident unfolded during a Solingen city celebration on Friday evening. Three lives were claimed by a knife, and eight others were injured, four critically. A 26-year-old suspect, hailing from Syria, has been in custody since Sunday evening. The detainee faces charges, among others, of belonging to the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) and murder.
Scholz referred to the knife attack as an appalling crime, emphasizing the necessity of handling it with the utmost legal authority.
Following Solingen, Scholz will visit three cities in the Ruhr area. These visits, including a chemical park trip in Marl, a technology center excursion at the former Opel site in Bochum, and a visit to an allotment garden in Castrop-Rauxel, were preplanned and announced by the federal government beforehand.
The Commission expressed their condolences over the tragic loss of lives in Solingen and offered their support in the ongoing investigation. After the discussions at the town hall, The Commission was scheduled to meet with Scholz to discuss the necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
