Police unions are applauding Interior Minister Faeser’s proposals for additional knife bans. Reactions from the coalition parties are mixed: The Greens support the initiative, while the FDP and the hunting association have expressed criticism.
Police unions have endorsed the proposed tightening of gun laws by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser. Dirk Peglow, chairman of the Association of German Criminal Police Officers, told the Bild newspaper this is a positive first step. “But we should go further. No one in Germany should feel the need to arm themselves.” He emphasized the need to consider implementing a general ban on knives.
Heiko Teggatz, the deputy federal chairman of the German Police Union, mentioned that the enhanced regulations could also encompass a general prohibition on carrying knives in public places.
FDP criticizes Faeser’s plans
SPD politician Faeser aims to tighten gun laws, proposing that only knives with blades shorter than six centimeters could be carried in public, down from the current allowance of twelve centimeters. There will be exceptions for knives purchased in sealed packages.
Faeser has also advocated for a “general ban on handling” dangerous switchblades. She intends to promote these legal restrictions on knife handling, independently from the gun law reform that has stalled in internal government discussions since the beginning of 2023.
Criticism from the FDP
The FDP, one of the SPD’s coalition partners, has criticized the proposals. Konstantin Kuhle, the deputy parliamentary group leader, remarked that the proposals lack persuasiveness, stating, “Symbolic legal changes are counterproductive.” He emphasized that a more effective approach would be to more closely monitor existing regulations.
Irene Mihalic, the interior expert for the Green Party, expressed her criticism of the FDP’s stance, saying, “The FDP should abandon its obstructionist position regarding gun law reforms.” She asserted that in response to the documented rise in knife-related crime, it is crucial to pursue sensible enhancements to gun laws, as a legal overhaul is long overdue.
Hunting Association sees “Window-dressing politics”
Olaf Niestroj, managing director of the German Hunting Association, criticized Faeser’s plans as “window-dressing politics.” He remarked, “It is entirely unclear how and by whom these new proposals will be enforced. The prohibition on carrying blank-firing pistols has already failed—compliance is nonexistent,” he said to the Tagesspiegel newspaper.
EVG boss calls for weapons ban on trains
Amid the discussions on stricter gun laws, Martin Burkert, head of the railway and transport union (EVG), has weighed in, advocating for a ban on weapons on trains and in train stations. “Unfortunately, the incidence of attacks on trains is not decreasing; it is, in fact, on the rise,” Burkert stated. “This trend extends to train stations.” He argued this justifies a uniform prohibition on weapons in both contexts.
Implementing such measures would require an increase in police presence. “Safety is paramount—both for passengers and staff.” According to a survey conducted by the EVG, 80 percent of employees have experienced attacks, Burkert added. “That is an alarmingly high figure.”
Björn Dake, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, 13.08.2024 09:21 a.m.
Police unions are praising Interior Minister Faeser’s plans for further knife bans. The reactions from the traffic light parties are mixed: The Greens support the move, the FDP is critical of it – as is the hunting association.
Police unions have welcomed the tightening of gun laws proposed by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser. This is a first step, said the chairman of the Association of German Criminal Police Officers, Dirk Peglow, to the Bild newspaper. “But we should go further. In Germany, no one has to arm themselves.” It is time to think about a general knife ban.
The deputy federal chairman of the German Police Union, Heiko Teggatz, told the newspaper that tightening the rules could also include a general ban on carrying knives in public.
FDP criticizes Faeser’s plans
SPD politician Faeser wants to tighten gun laws so that in future only knives with a blade length of up to six centimeters may be carried in public. The current limit is twelve centimeters. Exceptions will apply to knives that have just been bought in a sealed package.
Faeser also spoke out in favor of a “general ban on handling” dangerous switchblades. The minister wants to push through these legal tightenings for handling knives independently of the reform of gun laws that has been stuck in internal government consultations since the beginning of 2023.
Criticism from the FDP
The FDP, one of the SPD’s coalition partners, criticized the plans. The proposals were not convincing, said the deputy parliamentary group leader, Konstantin Kuhle. “Symbolic legal changes are going in the wrong direction.” It is more important to monitor the existing bans more closely.
Green Party interior expert Irene Mihalic criticized the coalition partner. “The FDP should give up its blockade stance on gun law reform,” she told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group. “We cannot respond to the documented increase in knife crime with a misunderstood understanding of freedom, but must finally tackle sensible tightening of gun laws, because the legal reform is long overdue.”
Hunting Association sees “Window-dressing politics”
The managing director of the German Hunting Association, Olaf Niestroj, described Faeser’s plans as “window-dressing politics”. “It is completely unclear how and by whom their new proposals are to be monitored. The ban on carrying blank-firing pistols has already failed – no one is sticking to it,” he told the Tagesspiegel newspaper.
EVG boss calls for weapons ban on trains
In the course of the debate about stricter gun laws, the head of the railway and transport union (EVG), Martin Burkert, has also spoken out. He is calling for a ban on weapons on trains and in train stations. “Unfortunately, the number of attacks on trains is not stagnating, but is continuing to rise,” said Burkert. “This also applies to train stations.” This justifies a uniform ban on weapons on trains and train stations.
More police are needed to implement this. After all, safety is the highest priority – also for employees. According to a survey by EVG, 80 percent of employees have experienced attacks, Burkert continued. “That is an enormously high number.”
Björn Dake, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, 13.08.2024 09:21 a.m.