Radical ideology - Steinmeier deems Mannheim's knife attack as a "gruesome act of terrorism."
The Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, referred to the tragic stabbing incident in Mannheim, where a policeman lost his life, as a "brutal act of terror". The attacker's motives appear to be of a political nature, possibly extremist Islamist origins based on the information known thus far, shared Steinmeier after interacting with the Mannheim police officers as well as the family of fallen officer, Rouven Laur.
There have been several acts of violence targeting politicians, including mayors, ministers, MPs, and volunteers lately, Steinmeier asserted. "We, the democratic community of this nation, refuse to become accustomed to violence in the context of political debates," he stated, emphasizing the need for an end to the violence.
Before commemorating the slain policeman at a makeshift memorial on the Mannheim market square, he paid tribute to the victim at a ceremony held last week. Steinmeier was accompanied by Winfried Kretschmann (Greens), and Thomas Strobl (CDU), and they observed a moment of silence at 11:34 a.m. as a mark of respect for Laur. Family members and other relatives also attended the ceremony, which had been orchestrated by the Baden-Württemberg police force.
Last Friday, a 25-year-old Afghan attacked five members of the group Pax Europa and the 29-year-old officer with a knife on the market square. Laur succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 participants had converged on the market square in the 300,00-resident city in northern Baden-Württemberg to honor the slain officer.
As a token of respect, Steinmeier laid a wreath at the scene. After Steinmeier and the gathered crowd had left, the market square fell silent. Patrolmen from the Mannheim police headquarters, numbering about 50 officers, stood in front of the tribute to their late comrade, devoting their silence to remembering their fallen colleague.
Hundreds of police officers across Germany observed a minute of silence at the same time. Wearing blue ribbons on their uniforms as a gesture of mourning, solidarity, and protest against violence, officers paid homage to Rouven Laur.
During the course of the afternoon, various demonstrations and gatherings were scheduled in Mannheim. At 4:30 p.m., representatives from the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB Mannheim) and democratic parties, alongside religious communities, were due to stage a rally with the "Mannheim stands together – for democracy and diversity" theme.
At 6:00 p.m., the AfD planned a demonstration on the market square, countering Islamic extremism. Simultaneously, a rally by the "Mannheim against the Right" alliance was set at 5:30 p.m. addressing the AfD assemblage. The local authorities were uncertain whether the AfD rally could occur on the market square. On Thursday, the Karlsruhe Administrative Court had granted the AfD's urgent application, rescinding a city ordinance that prohibited events such as demonstrations on the market square. The city has since filed an appeal against the court's ruling, and it concerns the demonstration taking place at Paradeplatz instead.
