A stabbing attack at an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim, Germany, left the event’s far-right speaker and a police officer injured.
Michael Stürzenberger, a controversial far-right activist who has been convicted in the past for insulting police and inciting hatred against Islam, was stabbed while taking part in a Citizens’ Movement organised by the anti-Islamic group Pax Europa (BPE), of which Stürzenberger is a member. The incident occurred around 11:35 a.m. local time when a man rushed to the stage and stabbed Stürzenberger.
Police shoot man who stabbed far-Right activist and two others at political rally
Police have shot a knifeman who stabbed three people at a political rally in Mannheim, south-west Germany, including a hard-Right activist who once compared the Koran to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. A video which captured the entire attack showed bystanders stepping in to try to stop the attacker, but he broke free and stabbed a police officer in the back before being shot by another officer.
„While BPE self-describes as „neutral”, it has become known in radical circles for its vocal opposition to Islam and Muslims in Germany, including demands for a ban on mosques. The Bavarian branch of BPE and Stürzenberger have been previously linked to Pegida, a xenophobic extreme-right group with a strong neo-Nazi following, prompting an investigation by the German federal state’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution.” (euronews)
According to a police spokesperson, after stabbing Stürzenberger, the attacker fled and stabbed a police officer in the back before being shot by another officer. The suspect’s condition was not immediately known.
Stürzenberger and the injured officer were transported to nearby hospitals. The severity of their injuries is not yet public.
The suspect’s motive remains under investigation, but the attack was widely condemned by German leaders across the political spectrum, who cited the importance of tolerating divergent views in a free democratic society.
More News
