A man carried out a knife attack on several people at a market square in Mannheim, south-west Germany, according to the police. The incident was captured on a YouTube livestream, showing the assailant stabbing a man and then a police officer who came to help. The officer is in critical condition. The attacker was shot and injured by another police officer. Unconfirmed reports suggest that one of the injured was a far-right anti-Islam activist who was holding a rally in the square, the BBC reported.
A livestream video from the event depicts the attacker wielding a knife, with at least one person appearing to have a leg wound. Several bystanders attempted to subdue the attacker, who then broke free and stabbed a police officer in the back.
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
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Mannheim police tweeted about a “major police operation” at the market square, and a rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene.
According to BBC, the police reported that the attack took place at 11:35 local time (10:35 BST), with the assailant using a knife to injure multiple people. The attacker was then shot by a firearm.
Police have not disclosed further information about the injured individuals.
Far-Right Anti-Islam Activist’s Rally
The attack coincided with a rally held by far-right anti-Islam activist Michael Stürzenberger in the market square. Stürzenberger’s organization, Citizens’ Movement Pax Europa (BPE), confirmed to Bild newspaper that he was injured in the attack, the BBC reported.
According to Bild, Michael Stürzenberger is known for his Islamophobic blog and is a member of BPE, an organisation opposing the “Islamisation” of Germany. The 58-year-old is also associated with the anti-Muslim platform PI-News and is under surveillance by the Bavarian domestic intelligence service.
