During a demonstration in Germany against Islam, far-right activist Michael Stürzenberger, 59, was attacked with a knife. After sustaining injuries to his face and leg, he had surgery and is now “doing well.”
A police officer was among five others wounded in the incident that happened during a spree in Mannheim Platz. According to reports, the officer is battling for his life after being stabbed in the neck and head from behind.
After being “really close” to death after being stabbed in the leg (injuring his knee and upper thigh and suffering “significant blood loss”), he had 2 hours of surgery that “went well.” The stabbing wound that extended towards the lungs on the side of the chest was potentially fatal, in contrast to the comparatively slight damage to the upper arm.
The anti-Islam group “Citizens’ Movement PAX Europa,” which opposes the building of mosques in Germany, was organizing the event that Stürzenberger was attending. A bearded man with a large knife allegedly assaulted him. A rip in his pants and a trickle of blood around his eyes were visible on a disturbing video. A group of blue-clad guys tried to subdue the assailant. The area was quickly flooded with police, and on the video, you can see the knifeman assaulting the police.
There is yet no word on the health of the four other individuals who were injured during the attack. The wounded were all transported to different hospitals, according to local officials, and several of them required emergency surgery. The suspect, according to German media, is a 25-year-old German citizen with Afghan roots.
The inquiry will demonstrate the risk presented by Islamist acts of violence and clarify the context of this crime, according to German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The BPE group’s treasurer, Stefanie Kizina, told Bild that the incident was more of a terror attack than an attack. Several individuals were assaulted in the Mannheim market square at around 11:35 a.m., according to the Mannheim Police.
