A minute’s silence was observed across the country today to commemorate the murdered police officer Rouven Laur. Federal President Steinmeier also paused on Mannheim’s market square.
Download video (39 MB | MP4)
On Friday, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid tribute to police officer Rouven Laur, who was killed a week ago, on Mannheim’s market square. Steinmeier described the knife attack, in which the police officer was fatally injured, as a “bloody act of terror”. The perpetrator apparently acted from a political, presumably Islamist background. Steinmeier said this in Mannheim after speaking to police officers and the relatives of the police officer who was killed.
The “SWR EXTRA – Commemoration in Mannheim” with the minute’s silence for the killed police officer Rouven Laur:
According to Steinmeier, in recent weeks we have witnessed further “despicable acts of politically motivated violence” with attacks on mayors, ministers, MPs and volunteers.
We, the democrats of this country, must never and will never become accustomed to violence in political debate.
Steinmeier, Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) and State Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) paused in silent mourning at 11:34 a.m. on Mannheim’s market square. The Baden-Württemberg police had called for a minute’s silence.
This was the time when the fatal attack on 29-year-old police officer Rouven Laur took place last Friday. A 25-year-old Afghan had injured five members of the anti-Islam movement “Pax Europa” and the 29-year-old officer with a knife in the market square. Laur died of his injuries on Sunday.
Federal President Steinmeier lays a bouquet of flowers in front of the market square fountain in Mannheim city centre.
dpa picture radio
picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Weißbrod
Over 1,000 people take part in a minute of silence in Mannheim
A large number of people took part in the minute’s silence for the police officer killed on Mannheim’s market square on Friday. A police spokeswoman said it was estimated that 1,500 to 2,000 people gathered on the market square.
The Baden-Württemberg state government had asked employees of ministries, schools and the state parliament, among others, to take part in the minute’s silence.
On Friday afternoon, numerous police officers observed a minute’s silence in the courtyard of Mannheim Castle to commemorate the slain police officer Rouven Laur.
SWR
Bells of Ulm Minster ring for killed police officer
Police officers from all over Baden-Württemberg also took part in the state-wide minute of silence. Police and rescue services in Heidenheim, Aalen (Ostalbkreis), Biberach and Ulm, as well as in Neu-Ulm in Bavaria, remembered Rouven Laur. The bells of Ulm Minster rang for minutes, and around 300 police officers from Ulm Police Headquarters gathered on Minster Square and observed a minute of silence together. A black ribbon flies on the Baden-Württemberg flag at Ulm City Hall.
Nationwide minute of silence
Police from Ostalb to Upper Swabia remember their killed colleague
Police and rescue workers in Ulm, Neu-Ulm, Heidenheim, Aalen and Biberach observed a minute’s silence on Friday in memory of the police officer killed in Mannheim a week ago.
Commemoration also in Karlsruhe
A minute’s silence for the deceased police officer was also held on the market square in Karlsruhe. Around 750 police officers from the Karlsruhe police headquarters had gathered there, according to a police spokesman. In addition, around 100 firefighters and rescue workers were on site. Numerous citizens also took part. According to the Karlsruhe police headquarters, many officers knew Rouven Laur from joint operations with the Mannheim headquarters.
After knife attack in Mannheim
Minute of silence in Karlsruhe for killed police officer
On Friday, police officers in Karlsruhe observed a minute’s silence in memory of their colleague Rouven Laur. He was killed in a knife attack in Mannheim.
Minute of silence for police officers also in Heilbronn
In Heilbronn, police officers also gathered on the market square at 11:34 a.m. to observe a minute’s silence and commemorate their slain colleague. The minute’s silence is a visible sign of solidarity within the police family, said Heilbronn Police Chief Frank Spitzmüller beforehand. It should also express solidarity with the Mannheim Police Headquarters. Heilbronn Mayor Harry Mergel (SPD) and city executives also took part in the commemoration.
Minute of silence for the killed police officer on Heilbronn’s market square
SWR
Public commemoration in Neckarbischofsheim
Rouven Laur came from Neckarbischofsheim (Rhein-Neckar district). A public memorial will be held in the castle park on Friday evening at 6 p.m. The city administration is expecting around 1,000 participants. After a speech by Mayor Thomas Seidelmann (independent), mourners will have the opportunity to write down thoughts and personal memories of Rouven Laur on pieces of paper. These will then be glued into a book. This book will then be given to the parents of the killed police officer.
AfD demonstration in Mannheim must not take place on the market square
Meanwhile, in Mannheim, fears of clashes are growing: two demonstrations and a rally are taking place in the city at the same time. However, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is not allowed to demonstrate on Mannheim’s market square on Friday evening. This was decided by the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg (VGH) in the afternoon. The demonstration will now be moved to Mannheim’s Paradeplatz at short notice.
Complaint by the city of Mannheim successful
VGH: AfD is not allowed to demonstrate on Mannheim market square
The Administrative Court (VGH) in Mannheim has ruled that the AfD is not allowed to demonstrate on Mannheim’s market square following the fatal attack on a police officer.