Germany knife attack: In a violent incident at a market square in Mannheim, southwest Germany, a man attacked multiple people with a knife, according to police reports. The attack, which occurred at 11:35 local time, was captured on a YouTube livestream, showing the attacker stabbing a man and then a police officer who intervened. The police officer is currently in critical condition.
The assailant was subsequently shot and injured by another police officer on the scene. Unconfirmed reports indicate that one of the injured individuals is Michael Stürzenberger, a far-right anti-Islam activist who was holding a rally in the square at the time. Stürzenberger’s organization, the Citizens’ Movement Pax Europa (BPE), confirmed to Bild newspaper that he had been injured in the attack.
Below is a video of the attack (Violent visuals: Viewer discretion is advised)
On May 31, 2024, a knife attack occurred during a YouTube livestream of an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim, Germany. The assailant targeted Michael Stürzenberger, a prominent critic of Islam, and also stabbed a police officer. The attacker was shot by police after the incident. pic.twitter.com/vW6Ujoumuk
— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) May 31, 2024
Police in Mannheim announced a “major police operation” on Twitter and dispatched a rescue helicopter to the market square. They confirmed that the attacker used a knife to injure several people before a firearm was deployed against him.
The incident coincided with a rally hosted by Stürzenberger, who is known for his Islamophobic blog and membership in BPE, an organization opposing the “Islamisation” of Germany. Stürzenberger, 58, has a history of involvement in right-wing politics, previously leading the now-dissolved party Die Freiheit and formerly being associated with the Christian Social Union (CSU).
Livestream footage shows the attacker wounding at least one person in the leg before being confronted by bystanders. The attacker managed to break free and stab a police officer in the back before being surrounded and subdued by police officers with firearms.
Further information about the victims has not yet been released by the authorities. The incident has highlighted tensions surrounding Stürzenberger’s activities, as his far-right rhetoric has been under surveillance by the Bavarian domestic intelligence service.
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