Illegal activity - The deceased police officer is remembered in Mannheim.
A moment of silence. Then, the bell in the Old Town Hall's tower on the Mannheim market square rings once. Folks begin clapping, initially hesitant, then with greater intensity. The mother of slain officer Rouven Laur breaks down in tears as she stands alongside her husband and other family members, joined by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Baden-Württemberg's Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens), and Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU). Together with over 1500 people, they commemorate Laur, who was stabbed to death by a 25-year-old Afghan a week prior at this location. Concurrently, police officers around the country pay tribute to the 29-year-old victim.
Steinmeier subsequently terms the stabbing assault a "bloody terrorist act." The perpetrator seems to have been motivated by politics, possibly Islamism.
In the recent past, we have seen other "abhorrent acts of politically motivated violence," Steinmeier declares. "We, the democrats of this country, can't and won't ever tolerate violence in political conflicts."
Many individuals lay flowers at the crime site. Renée Reichert, 33 years old, arrived alongside his little son to light a candle, as he puts it. They're commemorating Rouven Laur this way. "That's just horrendous," the 33-year-old says about the attack. Subsequently, representatives of the AfD state association placed flowers and wreaths at the market square.
At an event in Mannheim, citizens also honor the slain cop. A variety of posters bearing phrases such as "Against hate and hate speech" can be spotted. Invited to the event, themed "Mannheim is united - for democracy and diversity," were employers' associations and other political parties, religious communities, and civil society organizations. Following the collective gathering at the same location, a rally for "Mannheim against the Right" followed.
The AfD had initially sought to stage a protest against Islamism on the market square in Mannheim on Friday - following a ruling by the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg, the event was relocated to Paradeplatz. According to the cops, approximately 700 people participated in the AfD rally in the evening, ostensibly opposed by 3300 counter-demonstrators. The city of Mannheim had disagreed with the market square as the location for the AfD protest.
The five victims of the assault are still experiencing pain a week later. Stefanie Kizina, of Pax Europa, reports that everyone involved is still "in shock." "You always thought, something like this wouldn't happen to us," she muses. "You have to collect yourself, process it first." One of the victims, Michael Stürzenberger, returned to the hospital due to continued bleeding. The 59-year-old will be off the job for at least 4-8 weeks.
Pax Europa will now place a greater focus on the safety of its members, comments Kizina. "There will be no more events without safety barriers," she states. "The police are paying more attention to us at the moment."
The chairman of the German Police Union, Ralf Kusterer, is moved by the show of sympathy toward Rouven Laur's demise. But his emotions are complicated. "People are naturally also frustrated," he says, referring to the sentiments of police officers. "The anger towards politics is strong." Upon facing such acts of terror, political debates and demands ensue, but ultimately, nothing changes. Hence, discussions concerning further training for police officers, equipment for protection, and treating wounds following attacks should be prioritized.
The police officers involved in the incident are receiving psychological support. Unfortunately, a Mannheim Police representative declined to comment on the condition of the cops a week after the assault. President of the Mannheim Police Headquarters, Ulrike Schäfer, reported earlier: "Those who had worked with Laur and were present during the tragic incident are currently receiving psychological care." Similarly, Interior Minister Strobl explained to Mannheimer Morgen in a video message that the general sense of security in the populace has been affected. He compassionately acknowledged the apprehensions of individuals after the deadly stabbing. "The police are deeply saddened, but their duties continue."
The attacker was shot by an officer during the attack. Owing to his injuries, he was operated on. The 25-year-old arrived in Germany in 2013 as a teenager and filed an asylum application that was denied in 2014. However, a deportation ban was imposed on account of his youth. The assailant had resided in Heppenheim with his wife and two children of late. The General Prosecutor's Office has assumed responsibility for this case's investigation.
The police department in Mannheim is arranging a public funeral for the fallen officer on June 14th. The ceremony will be held at the Congress Center Rosengarten, as the department announced on Friday evening. Due to limited space, only family members, invited guests, and police headquarters employees can attend.
In response to this tragedy, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is considering allowing the deportation of dangerous criminals back to Afghanistan and Syria. However, specific details on how this will be executed remain unclear. During his government statement on Thursday, Chancellor Scholz mentioned that he would not disclose the implementation method at this time.
