Can crimes like those in Solingen be prevented by stricter gun laws? Politicians from several parties are now calling for new regulations. CDU leader Merz is urging the Chancellor to take action.
The knife attack in Solingen has reignited the debate about the public carrying of stabbing weapons. The Union is demanding that the federal government implement measures to better protect against knife attacks. “The Federal Minister of the Interior and the Federal Minister of Justice must now finally present a viable concept of how they intend to effectively combat the increasing knife violence among young men,” said Thorsten Frei, the first parliamentary manager of the Union faction in the Bundestag, to the Rheinische Post.
According to the CDU politician, possible actions could include the establishment of knife-free zones and stricter gun laws. Additionally, the police should be granted more powers. Specifically, Frei is advocating for “independent knife checks” to be made possible.
Debate about migration and Islamism
Party leader Friedrich Merz has made demands to Chancellor Olaf Scholz. On his website, he stated: Visits to the crime scene, expressions of sympathy, and the usual threats of punishment are all appropriate and necessary. However, they are no longer sufficient after this terrorist act. “Since this weekend at the latest, it has been clear: enough is enough,” emphasized Merz. “Now it is up to the Chancellor.”
Merz also criticized the federal government’s migration policy. “It’s not the knives that are the problem, but the people who carry them.” In the majority of cases, these individuals are refugees, and in the majority of the crimes, Islamist motives are involved.
Psychologist and Middle East expert Ahmad Mansour shared a similar opinion in the “Bild” newspaper: “Unfortunately, we must acknowledge today that there are radical Islamists among the migrants who have used uncontrolled migration to establish structures here.” Left-wing parties have also downplayed the problems associated with migration: “If you address this, you are labeled as Islamophobic. They have not allowed for any debate regarding the dangers of Islamism.”
FDP opens up for stricter gun laws
In the federal government, it was primarily the FDP that had opposed discussions regarding stricter gun laws. However, in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann announced that the federal government intends to address the issue.
“We will now discuss in the federal government how we can further advance the fight against this type of knife crime,” stated the FDP politician. The FDP had previously rejected proposals from Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser to strengthen the law.
Klingbeil and Habeck call for knife ban
The other coalition parties were already in favor of stricter regulations regarding the use of knives. Now, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil is advocating for a significant expansion of knife-free zones.
“The probable terrorist attack shows that Germany has a problem with knife violence,” Lars Klingbeil told Bild am Sonntag. He is calling for a complete ban on knives in public: “For me, there is no reason for people to carry stabbing weapons in their daily lives,” said Klingbeil.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens shares a similar view. “No one in Germany needs cutting and stabbing weapons in public. We no longer live in the Middle Ages,” stated Habeck.
Police warn of a differentiated debate
The Association of German Criminal Police Officers (BDK) called for a nuanced debate on combating knife violence that distinguishes between targeted attacks and crimes of passion. “We must separate the discussion about increasing knife violence from the conversation surrounding the crime in Solingen,” stated BDK Federal Head Dirk Peglow to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
“The perpetrator would not have been deterred by knife ban zones or an overall knife ban. According to current information, he knew exactly what he was doing,” added the police union representative. However, the majority of knife violence incidents occur in moments of heightened emotion due to escalating arguments.
Dietrich Karl Mäurer, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, 25.08.2024 09:59 a.m.
Can crimes like those in Solingen be prevented by stricter gun laws? Politicians from several parties are now calling for new rules. CDU leader Merz is calling on the Chancellor to take action.
The knife attack in Solingen has reignited the debate surrounding the regulation of carrying stabbing weapons in public places. The Union party has demanded that the federal government implement measures to enhance protection against knife attacks. Thorsten Frei, the first parliamentary manager of the Union faction in the Bundestag, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “The Federal Minister of the Interior and the Federal Minister of Justice must now finally present a viable concept of how they intend to effectively combat the increasing knife violence among young men,” he stated to the Rheinische Post.
Frei suggests that implementations could include establishing knife-free zones and enforcing stricter gun laws. He calls for enhanced police powers, advocating for “independent knife checks” to bolster public safety.
Debate about migration and Islamism
CDU party leader Friedrich Merz pressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz for decisive action. He commented on his website: “Visits to the crime scene, expressions of sympathy and the usual threats of punishment are all correct and necessary. But they are no longer sufficient after this terrorist act. Since this weekend at the latest it has been clear: enough is enough.”
Merz criticized the current federal government’s migration policy, stating, “It’s not the knives that are the problem, but the people who carry them around.” He suggested that in many instances, these individuals are refugees, and a significant number of the crimes are driven by Islamist motives.
Psychologist and Middle Eastern expert Ahmad Mansour echoed this sentiment in an interview with the “Bild” newspaper, recognizing the presence of radical Islamists among migrants who exploit uncontrolled migration to create harmful structures. He criticized left-wing parties for trivializing migration issues and labeling those who address them as Islamophobic, effectively stifling a necessary debate on the dangers posed by Islamism.
FDP opens up for stricter gun laws
Historically, the FDP rejected discussions surrounding stricter gun laws. However, in a recent interview with Bild am Sonntag, Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann indicated a shift in perspective. “We will now discuss in the federal government how we can further advance the fight against this type of knife crime,” he announced, showing an openness to certain changes.
Despite previously declining proposals from Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser to tighten regulations, the current situation may necessitate a reevaluation of these positions.
Klingbeil and Habeck call for knife ban
Incentivized by rising concerns about knife violence, members of the other traffic light parties have shown increasing support for stricter regulations concerning knife possession. Lars Klingbeil, the SPD leader, argued for a substantial expansion of knife-free zones to address what he described as a significant issue in German cities.
Klingbeil stated, “The probable terrorist attack shows that Germany has a problem with knife violence.” He called for a blanket prohibition on knives in public, asserting that “there is no reason why people should carry stabbing weapons in everyday life.”
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens is aligned with this viewpoint, stating, “Nobody in Germany needs cutting and stabbing weapons in public. We no longer live in the Middle Ages.”
Police warn for a differentiated debate
The Association of German Criminal Police Officers (BDK) has called for a more nuanced debate on the issue of knife violence, urging differentiation between intentional attacks and crimes of passion. Dirk Peglow, BDK Federal Head, emphasized the need to separate the increasing knife violence narrative from the specific circumstances surrounding the Solingen crime.
“The perpetrator would not have been deterred by knife ban zones or a general knife ban. According to findings so far, he knew what he was doing,” Peglow noted. He emphasized that most incidents of knife violence occur spontaneously, arising from heated arguments that escalate unexpectedly.
Dietrich Karl Mäurer, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, 25.08.2024 09:59 a.m.
