Michael Stürzenberger, a German far-right activist and anti-Islam critic, has been injured in a knife attack in Mannheim. Police said the assailant wounded multiple people before being shot by responding officers.
On Friday, May 31, 2024, a man with a knife stabbed multiple people in Mannheim, Germany. The incident was captured on camera by the Buergerbewegung Pax Europa group, an organization that has vocally opposed Islam and Muslims in Germany.
One of those injured was Michael Stürzenberger, a member of Buergerbewegung Pax Europa. According to Euronews, Stürzenberger is a German far-right activist and anti-Islam critic.
Buergerbewegung Pax Europa later released a statement saying that Stürzenberger suffered "severe stab wounds to his face and leg" and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The statement also said that a police officer who tried to stop the attacker was stabbed in the back and neck and was also taken to the hospital.
According to the police, there was no longer any danger to the public after the incident. However, there was no official word on the motive for the attack.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that the investigation would determine the motive. She said that "if the investigation shows an Islamist motive, that would be another confirmation of the great danger from Islamist acts of violence that we have warned of."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted on Twitter that "the pictures from Mannheim are terrible" and that "violence is absolutely unacceptable in our democracy."
The stabbings happened on the Marktplatz, a square in Mannheim's downtown area. The city of about 300,000 people is located south of Frankfurt.
The incident is being investigated by the police, and further details are expected to be released in the coming days.
* The attack has raised concerns about the rise of far-right and anti-Islam sentiment in Germany.
* In recent years, there have been several incidents of violence targeting Muslims and Islamic institutions in the country.
* The German government has condemned the attack and vowed to take action to prevent further acts of violence.
* The police have increased their presence in Mannheim and other major cities in response to the attack.
* The motive for the attack is still unknown, but the investigation is ongoing.
* The attack has sparked a debate about the role of far-right groups in German society.
* Some experts believe that the attack could embolden far-right groups and lead to further violence.
* Others argue that the attack is an isolated incident and should not be used to justify increased surveillance of Muslim communities.
* The attack has also raised questions about the effectiveness of Germany's counterterrorism measures.
