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On 23 August, a cowardly knife attack took place in Solingen, in which a Syrian man killed three people and injured eight others, some of them critically. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the relatives and those injured. We also remember those who escaped unharmed and had to witness the perpetrator stabbing passers-by in the neck, seemingly at random but deliberately. This will inevitably leave scars that are difficult to heal. We wish everyone who witnessed the attack much strength in coping with the trauma.
Following the knife attack, a debate about banning knives in public spaces has reignited. The police recorded over 12,000 knife attacks in Germany in both 2022 and 2023. However, since 2022, only attacks involving dangerous and grievous bodily harm (over 8,000 cases) or robbery (over 4,000 cases) have been recorded. Attacks that result in death, minor bodily harm or „only“ a threat are not included in the statistics – even though those affected are certainly severely traumatised by them. The actual number of knife attacks is likely to be much higher. The article by Tichys Einblick linked below is well worth reading and elaborates on this further.
Even if we only consider the knife attacks recorded in the statistics, this amounts to over 30 knife attacks per day, and the trend is rising. Hardly a day goes by without knife attacks. Some attacks in the recent past have remained in our memory, such as the attack on Islam critic Michael Stürzenberger or on 29-year-old police officer Rouven L. in Mannheim.
How are politicians responding to these events? They want to ban knives in public spaces, at least those with longer blades. Chancellor Scholz, Home Secretary Faeser, Justice Secretary Buschmann, SPD leader Klingbeil – they are all calling for a debate on banning knives in public spaces, or at least in certain areas.
So are knives to blame? Are they really the problem? Isn't this debate completely missing the point? For years, gun laws have been tightened more and more. Nevertheless, millions of illegal firearms are in circulation. Logically, there are no exact figures, but it is estimated that there are 35 million across the EU. Of course, you can also ban the carrying of knives. But will that stop potential attackers from carrying out their crimes? Those who want to use violence will always find a way. Over 2,000 DIY stores in Germany offer a veritable arsenal of weapons for those inclined to violence: hammers, axes, wrenches, chainsaws, roof battens. Should they all be banned?
The problem is the people who use these objects, not the knives themselves. You are not a racist if you realise that our country has changed since 2015. A country where women should no longer go jogging alone. Where, in many cities, it is better not to walk alone on the streets after dark. Where you can no longer say everything publicly. Where you go to Christmas markets that are guarded by the police and have to be protected from hijacked lorries by concrete blocks weighing tonnes. The country where we „live well and happily“.
Further sources:
https://www.tichyseinblick.de/daili-es-sentials/faeser-messerangriffe-zahlen-statistik/
https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1471312/umfrage/messerangriffe-in-deutschland
