Local trial court in Regensburg - Trial begins for man accused of pushing someone off a stone bridge.
A 29-year-old man is standing trial at the Regensburg District Court for supposedly shoving a Syrian man off the Stone Bridge due to hatred of foreigners. The court accuses the man of attempted murder, which they say is premeditated and based on basic, hateful motivations. In the beginning of the trial on Thursday, the 29-year-old sought the forgiveness of his 21-year-old girlfriend.
Since the accused is considered legally insane due to a mental disorder, the defense requested that the public be kept out of the courtroom during certain parts. The court granted this request, meaning that the public is now barred from sections of the trial that may discuss the defendant's possible health issues, like when the psychiatrist testifies or during the closing statements.
The investigation found that the defendant assaulted the Syrian in October 2023, when the Syrian was perched on the bridge's edge making a phone call. The victim nearly plunged seven meters and collided with a rocky protrusion, leading to severe injuries.
After the attack, the defendant reportedly marched across the bridge unconcerned and greeted an on-duty civilian police officer with a Nazi salute. Cell phone data also revealed traces of Nazi ideology.
The 21-year-old took the stand as a witness and revealed that he was pushed, passed out, and woke up wrapped in a woman's jacket, which he had placed on his head. He's felt uneasy in Regensburg since the attack and desires to move in with family, but this hasn't been approved by authorities. He hopes that the attacker will be imprisoned so that he'll no longer be able to harm anyone. The 29-year-old's apology was accepted by the Syrian man, who said, "I forgive him." However, this doesn't lessen the pain he's felt since the incident.
