2024 Mannheim stabbing

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2024 Mannheim stabbing
LocationMannheim, Germany
Date31 May 2024
11:30am – 11:45am (CEST; UTC+02:00)
Attack type
Stabbing
WeaponKnife
Injured7 (including the perpetrator)
AccusedSulaiman A.

On 31 May 2024 at 11.30 am, an assailant armed with a knife attacked and wounded several people at an rally held in Mannheim by the counter-jihad group BPE. 6 people were injured, including notable critic of Islam Michael Stürzenberger and a police officer. Police shot at the attacker, who also was injured.[1][2]

Stabbing[edit]

Citizens' Movement Pax Europa, known by its German language acronym BPE, set up a small rally with an information stand in Mannheim's market square. Michael Stürzenberger, one of the best-known anti-Islam activists in Germany, was supposed to give a speech. At previous rallies, he had called for “re-education camps” for Muslims modeled on Xinjiang internment camps, and compared the Koran to Mein Kampf, calling it “the most dangerous book in the world”.[2]

The stabbing started at 11:30am, while Stürzenberger happened to be livestreaming.[3] Footage from the event showed a man attacking people with a knife. A number of bystanders grappled with the man, but he managed to break free and stab a police officer in the neck before getting shot.[4][5] Stürzenberger was stabbed in the face and one of his legs.[6] Rescue and emergency services, including a medivac helicopter, were deployed to the scene.[7]

Suspect[edit]

A 25-year-old Afghan refugee known as Sulaiman A. has been named as the primary suspect.[3] He moved to Germany in 2013 and lived in Heppenheim at the time of the attack, around 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Mannheim.[8] German authorities had not flagged him as an extremist prior to the attack. It is believed that he acted out of religious motives, although such claims have not been fully confirmed.[9]

Aftermath[edit]

According to Der Spiegel, the authorities assume a total of seven people were injured.[2] Several people are said to have suffered stab wounds in their legs and arms, and some also in their shoulders or faces. The police said in a statement that there was no longer any danger to the public.

Two policemen were confirmed to be among the injured. DPA has reported that one officer was left in critical condition and was undergoing emergency surgery.[6][10] Stürzenberger is, as of writing, undergoing emergency surgery for non-life threatening injuries.[11]

Police have identified the attacker and, as of writing, have yet to release his identity aside from detailing that he was a 25 year old man who was born in Afghanistan before emigrating to Germany.[6]

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that it's up to the investigation to determine a motive. She said in a statement 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."[12] German chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X (Twitter) that the footage was "terrible", that such acts of violence were "absolutely unacceptable", and that "[t]he perpetrator must be severely punished".[13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Several people injured in stabbing in Mannheim, Germany, police say". NBC News. Associated Press. 31 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Rechtspopulistische »Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa«: Wer sind die Opfer der Attacke von Mannheim?" [Right-wing populist “Citizens’ Movement Pax Europa”: Who are the victims of the Mannheim attack?]. Der Spiegel (in German). 31 May 2024. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Fowler, Sarah (31 May 2024). "Mannheim knife attack: Anti-Islam activist injured in stabbing". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Germany knife attack: Man shot after stabbing police officer in frenzied attack at far-right event in Mannheim". Sky News. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Mannheim knife attack: Anti-Islam activist injured in stabbing". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  7. ^ Noryskiewicz, Anna (May 31, 2024). "Video shows anti-Islam activist among those stabbed in Germany knife attack". CBS News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Mehrere Verletzte nach Messerangriff" [Several injured after knife attack]. Tagesschau (in German). 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Ermittler halten islamistisches Motiv für wahrscheinlich" [Investigators believe Islamist motive is likely]. Der Speigel (in German). 31 May 2024. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Germany: Knife attack in Mannheim, suspect shot". Deutsche Welle. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  11. ^ Hollauf, Franz (31 May 2024). "Police say several people have been hurt in a stabbing in the German city of Mannheim". Kronen Zeitung. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Police say several people have been hurt in a stabbing in the German city of Mannheim". CTV News. Associated Press. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  13. ^ Scholz, Olaf [@Bundeskanzler] (May 31, 2024). "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" [The images from Mannheim are terrible. Several people were seriously injured by an attacker. My thoughts are with the victims. Violence is absolutely unacceptable in our democracy. The perpetrator must be severely punished.] (Tweet) (in German). Retrieved 31 May 2024 – via Twitter.
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