TheLittleTwentieth – Renowned Papers Edition, AI Infused

Local sources from Germany: STERN.de, Neue Zürcher Zeitung – NZZ.
UK coverage: The Guardian.

A knife attack at an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim, Germany, has left six people injured. The attacker, a 25-year-old man from Herat, Afghanistan, who resides in South Hesse, targeted participants of the rally organized by the anti-Islam organization Pax Europa. Among the injured is Michael Stürzenberger, a leading figure of the organization. The motive behind the attack is still unknown, and authorities are investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism.

The attack took place in downtown Mannheim’s marketplace during the final stages of the European parliament campaign. The injured include a police officer who is currently in critical condition. The officer intervened and was stabbed multiple times in the head from behind by the perpetrator while trying to remove a victim from the danger zone. The police shot and injured the attacker, whose identity has not yet been disclosed.

Videos of the incident circulated on the internet shortly after the attack, showing the perpetrator stabbing several people at the rally. Bystanders can be heard shouting for the attacker to drop the knife. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the attack, emphasizing that violence has no place in a democracy. The incident has evoked shock and raised concerns about security in Germany.

Michael Stürzenberger, a political scientist and journalist, has been involved in anti-Islam movements for several years. He is known for his association with the anti-Islam Pegida movement and his opposition to the construction of a mosque in Munich. Stürzenberger was injured in the face and leg during the attack and is undergoing emergency surgery.

The incident has sparked a political debate about security and migration policy in Germany, especially in the context of the upcoming European Football Championship. The authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack, and if an Islamist motive is confirmed, it would further highlight the danger posed by Islamist acts of violence. The injured victims have been taken to various hospitals for treatment, and the police have cordoned off the marketplace as they gather evidence at the scene.