In the German city of Mannheim, a man armed with a knife carried out a massacre right on the main square of the city, during the anti-Islam Pax Europa rally.
One of the victims was a well-known critic of Islam in Germany. The event was broadcast live on YouTube, and the attack was also broadcast.
Chaos erupted in the German city of Mannheim on Friday morning when a man stabbed at least one person during a political rally. Those present at the scene were stunned by the bloody incident, with some rushing to help the unfortunate man, who was repeatedly attacked by a man with a knife.
An Islamist attacked an anti-Islam protest in Mannheim, Germany, with a knife. Several people are injured. pic.twitter.com/q9gGHWoNvL
— Ronai Chaker (@RonaiChaker) May 31, 2024
The attacker first stabbed the 59-year-old man and then knocked him down, bleeding, to the ground. However, the man's aggressive behavior did not end there. A moment later, the attacker pointed his knife towards the man's head.
An Islamist attacked an anti-Islam protest in Mannheim, Germany, with a knife. Several people are injured. pic.twitter.com/q9gGHWoNvL
— Ronai Chaker (@RonaiChaker) May 31, 2024
A few seconds later, the terrorist attacked a policeman, whom he managed to wound in the back. But he didn’t stop there either. Video footage shows another police officer holding his head, which is covered in blood.
State of the criminal
The man who attacked the rally participants was shot by the police officers who were there and remained lying on the ground. However, it is not yet known whether his wound was fatal or not. It is reported that the man was previously convicted twice: first for insulting the police, and then for inciting hatred and denigrating religious teachings.
Condition of the victims
A police spokeswoman confirmed the incident in Baden-Wuerttemberg and said there was no danger to anyone else involved. Police have not yet released any information about the extent or severity of the injuries. Rescue and emergency services are available, as well as a helicopter. Rail traffic between Kurpfalzkreisel and Paradeplatz is closed until further notice.
Michael Stürzenberger was previously the CSU spokesman and was under the supervision of the Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution from 2013 to 2022 because, among other things, he associated Islam with fascism.
Scholz's statement
German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the violence unacceptable and expressed condolences to the victims of the knife attack in the center of Mannheim. He published his statement on X (Twitter).
Die Bilder aus Mannheim sind furchtbar. Mehrere Personen sind von einem Attentäter schwer verletzt worden. Meine Gedanken sind bei den Opfern. Gewalt ist absolut inakzeptabel in unserer Demokratie. Der Täter muss streng bestraft werden.
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) May 31, 2024
The pictures from Mannheim are terrible. Several people were seriously injured by the attacker. My thoughts are with the victims. Violence is completely unacceptable in our democracy. The criminal must suffer severe punishment.
On the eve of the elections in EU, which will take place on June 9, the number of politically motivated attacks has risen sharply in Germany in recent weeks. Most recently, the former mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey, was attacked in a library in south Berlin.
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