An AfD local candidate injured in another stubbing attack in Mannheim
A series of violent incidents have shaken the city of Mannheim in southwestern Germany. A police officer was fatally stabbed, and Heinrich Koch, a local council candidate for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, was injured in stubbing attack in Mannheim.
Heinrich Koch was attacked on Tuesday night while confronting individuals who were reportedly tearing down AfD posters in the city. The Federal spokesman of the AfD party, Tino Chrupalla, addressed the incident on social media, stating, “Our members and representatives are the most frequent victims of political violence and destruction. That cannot stop us.”
Local police have confirmed an ongoing investigation into the stubbing attack in Mannheim on Koch. According to a video provided by the AfD to the German news agency dpa, a young man was seen pulling down the party’s posters in Mannheim’s market square. The footage shows Koch chasing the perpetrator, who fled the scene with several posters under his arm. Koch sustained injuries to his ear and stomach. He is the AfD’s third-place candidate in the upcoming local council elections scheduled for June 9th.
Another stubbing attack in Mannheim
This attack on Koch follows closely on the heels of another tragic incident in Mannheim. A 29-year-old police officer was killed in a stabbing during an anti-Islam demonstration last Friday. The officer was one of six people wounded when a 25-year-old man, armed with a knife, attacked the rally. The demonstration was attended by prominent far-right activist and anti-Islam critic Michael Stürzenberger, who was also injured.
The police officer, who had been in intensive care, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. The assailant, identified as a 25-year-old who emigrated from Afghanistan to Germany in 2014, was shot and injured by police at the scene. Authorities have not yet disclosed the motive behind the attack.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his condolences on social media, stating he was “deeply saddened” by the officer’s death and extended his thoughts to the family of the slain officer.
These violent episodes highlight the escalating political tensions and the dangers faced by law enforcement and political figures in Germany. The incidents underscore the urgent need for enhanced security measures and a collective effort to address political violence in the country.