Deadly attack - Wüst calls for moderation after the violence in Bad Oeynhausen
Two weeks after the fatal attack on a young man in Bad Oeynhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister-President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) and other politicians warned against trying to make political capital out of the violent incident. At the same time, Wüst reiterated his demand: "It must be possible, wherever it is feasible, to deport Intensive care patients who are not German citizens."
The delicate balance between moderation and calls for decisive action was evident in the debate in the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament. Wüst and SPD opposition leader Jochen Ott tried to maintain a factual tone. The AfD accused other parties of "hypermorality." However, CDU and FDP parliamentarians also warned sharply against a "false tolerance ideology" and "violence-prone young men" from North Africa and Afghanistan.
The suspect in the case is an 18-year-old Syrian. He is accused of attacking the 20-year-old man in the night of June 23 for unknown reasons, striking him on the head and trampling on him. The man died a few days later in the hospital. The suspect, according to investigators, had previously come to Germany in 2016 as part of a family reunification with parents and siblings. The suspect is reported to have previously been known to authorities for violent, property damage, and drug-related offenses but was not previously convicted.
The victim had a life ahead of him
Wüst spoke in the debate about the life and future dreams of the victim: "Music was his life. He loved music. He produced music." The young man had moved out of his parents' house only two months ago. "His first own apartment. The first big step into independent life." His mother described Philippos as a happy young man and proud of her children's plans.
Facing the heated debate, Wüst called for unity. Extreme right-wing political forces were trying to make political capital out of the young man's death. "We must resist the temptation to tear each other apart, to drive a wedge into this society." The motives behind the attack were not yet clear. At the same time, Wüst emphasized: "This crime deserves a harsh, fair sentence."
People in Germany expected "things to be called by their names" in such a situation, Wüst said. "So that we can help people in the future who are fleeing war and displacement, irregular migration must be stopped." The suspect had attended school in Germany and was supposed to receive vocational training. "He had the chance for a good life. He did not use this chance – on the contrary," Wüst said.
Ott, the SPD faction leader, also said: "The perpetrator alone bears the guilt – and he will be punished for it: by a court in a rule-of-law procedure." Origin, religion, and migration explain nothing. "This is proven by the millions of people with a migration background in North Rhine-Westphalia," Ott said. At the same time, he emphasized: "Anyone who is our guest and does not comply with the rules and laws in Germany, anyone who commits a crime, anyone who threatens our security, must leave."
Landtag President André Kuper (CDU) stated that the terrible deed and the grief over a young person do not suit "populist provocations and mood-making in already heated times". Out of respect for the bereaved who are mourning their lost child, brother, and friend.
The mayors and the Landrat followed the debate on the podium. The mayors of Bad Oeynhausen, Lars Bökenkroger (CDU), and the Landrat of Minden-Lübbecke, Ali Dogan (SPD), were present.
Communities are overwhelmed
Bökenkroger told the German Press Agency that the suspect, a Syrian, had lived with his family in a "normal multi-family house in Bad Oeynhausen." The statement by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) that the suspect had lived in a refugee shelter for eight years was "very confusing" and not accurate. Faeser had also spoken of a failed social integration, which caused criticism in the Landtag.
An open discussion is necessary, said Bökenkroger. "There are many cases of crime, even committed by migrants. We must then also expose them." At the same time, Bökenkroger warned against the fact that municipalities had reached their limits in terms of accommodation and integration. "We need support from the federal and state governments, we need all political levels. We, as municipalities, cannot take in and integrate more refugees anymore." We are not doing justice to children and young people if there are children in some classes with a migration quota of "70 or 80 percent."
Reul on the AfD: "I find that disgusting"
Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) accused the AfD of painting a completely distorted picture of reality in Germany. The AfD is trying to "scare people, stir up hatred against foreigners, and collect votes with cheap polemics," said Reul. "I find that disgusting."
Before that, AfD parliamentarian Markus Wagner had said, "We have had enough of murderers, terrorist aspirants, and group rapists. We can't take it anymore, what they're doing to our Germany." Criminals and illegal foreigners should be deported quickly.
Green fraction leader Verena Schäffer said that generalizations are no substitute for answers and do not lead to more security. Schäffer opposed hasty demands for deportations. If all legal prerequisites are met, criminals will be deported after serving their sentence - in Germany.
Uncontrolled immigration?
However, there were also sharper words from the ranks of the CDU and FDP. CDU parliamentarian Gregor Golland listed investigations into the alleged crimes of the 18-year-old suspect, for which he had never been held accountable. These included theft, attempted rape, and bodily harm. At the same time, Golland described "uncontrolled and unchecked immigration," especially of young men, as a serious security risk.
Mark Lürbke from the FDP stated: "We cannot accept that repeat offenders accumulate crimes for years before any reaction from the rule of law occurs - if it occurs at all." It is striking how often violent young men from the North African region or Afghanistan are involved. "Problems will not be solved by ignoring them." At the same time, entire population groups should not be placed under general suspicion.
- The incident occurred in North Rhine-Westphalia, a state with a vibrant Parliament.
- Hendrik Wüst, the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia and a CDU member, spoke in the Parliament about the case.
- The victim, a 20-year-old man who loved music, had recently moved into his first independent apartment.
- Jochen Ott, the SPD's opposition leader in the Parliament, called for unity and fairness in handling the case.
- The suspect in the case is a Syrian man, who had previously been known to authorities for various offenses.
- Herbert Reul, the Interior Minister of Germany and a CDU member, criticized the AfD for stirring up hatred against foreigners.
- Bökenkroger, the mayor of Bad Oeynhausen and a CDU member, stated that the suspect had lived in a multi-family house, not a refugee shelter.
- CDU and FDP parliamentarians expressed concerns about uncontrolled immigration and the strain on communities due to integration.
- The AfD parliamentarian Markus Wagner called for swift deportation of criminals and illegal foreigners, labeling them as "murderers" and "terrorist aspirants."
- The Green fraction leader Verena Schäffer opposed hasty demands for deportations, arguing that generalizations do not lead to more security.
- The debate in the Parliament highlighted the complex challenges surrounding migration, security, and community integration in Germany.
