In Germany, Solingen, an attacker armed with a knife killed three people and seriously injured at least five on Friday evening at Festival of Diversity.
Police began receiving reports shortly after 9:30 p.m. about an unknown attacker who indiscriminately stabbed several individuals in the central square of Frohnhoff, in Solingen (which has a population of 160,000), situated near the major cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf.
Authorities have stated that the perpetrator is currently on the run, and they have very little information about him at this stage. However, it is believed that a single assailant was responsible for the knife attacks. The police have reported that five individuals seriously injured, while the region’s chief security officer, Herbert Royl, mentioned a total of six when he visited the scene in the early hours of Saturday.
Special forces assisted security personnel in the city centre. At least one helicopter was seen overhead, with numerous police and emergency rescue vehicles on the scene, and several streets were cordoned off.
The local newspaper, Solinger Tageblatt, quoted Selin Derikartz, the reporter covering the festival, who described the atmosphere as “eerie.” She noted that the festive mood shifted to one of shock in just a matter of minutes, and she witnessed festival-goers in tears.
Festival of Diversity, marking the 650th anniversary of the city, kicked off on Friday and was scheduled to run until Sunday. The central streets were set to feature entertainment including live music, cabaret, and acrobatics. However, following a serious attack, the city authorities decided to cancel the remainder of the festival. Approximately 75,000 attendees were expected at the event.
In the last year, Germany experienced a troubling series of knife attacks, prompting the government to vow to implement stringent measures against knife crime. In May, a police officer tragically lost their life during a knife assault carried out by an Afghan immigrant on members of a group that identifies itself as opponents of “political Islam.”
Nancy Faeser, Germany’s Minister of the Interior and the top official in charge of security, has suggested tightening the country’s knife laws. She proposed that only knives with a blade length of up to 6 centimetres should be allowed in public, instead of the current allowance of 12 centimetres. Faeser also said:
The brutal attack on the city festival in Solingen deeply shocks us. We grieve for the people whose lives were lost in a terrible way. My thoughts are with the families of those killed and seriously injured. Our security authorities are doing everything possible to catch the perpetrator and establish the background to the attack. The police in North Rhine-Westphalia have the full support of the Federal Government. I am in constant contact with the Minister of the Interior, Herbert Reul, and our security authorities.
