The Berlin Senator for Economics, Energy and Enterprises, Franziska Giffey (SPD), was slightly injured in a physical attack in the Rudow district and was then treated in hospital. The attacker has been temporarily arrested and should be brought before the investigating judge on Wednesday.
There are already police findings against the 74-year-old man in the areas of state security and hate crime, writes Berlin public prosecutor’s office in its press release. There is evidence of mental illness in the man. The public prosecutor’s office later confirmed that the suspect had been placed in a psychiatric hospital.
The man is suspected of having suddenly attacked the former governing mayor in a library “from behind with a bag filled with hard contents and hit her in the head and neck,” the Berlin police and public prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday night . The state security agency has taken over the investigation.
Giffey is now continuing her work
“After the first shock, I can say I’m fine,” said the SPD politician on Instagram. She continued her work on Wednesday. Nevertheless, she is worried and shaken by the increasing “fair game culture” towards the people who are politically active and committed in Germany. Against this background, she called for more respect for people who are involved in politics. “We live in a free and democratic country in which everyone is allowed and able to express their opinions freely,” said Giffey. However, the limit of freedom of action is clearly exceeded in the case of violent attacks.
“Anyone who attacks politicians is attacking our democracy,” said Berlin’s governing mayor Kai Wegner. “We will not accept this. We will oppose all forms of violence, hatred and incitement and protect our democracy.” The CDU politician announced that the consequences would be discussed in the Senate, including harsher punishments for attacks on politicians.
Berlin Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) also reacted with horror to the attack on her party colleague. “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the attack on Franziska Giffey and other politicians or election workers, all of whom are committed to a combative democracy,” wrote Spranger at X. “The Conference of Interior Ministers agreed at the special meeting yesterday that democracy must be protected more effectively from hate speech and misinformation. The criminal protection of individuals from such attacks also serves to protect democracy itself.”
According to the President of the House of Representatives, Cornelia Seibeld, “a red line was crossed” with the attack on Giffey. “Democrats must be able to do their work without fearing for life and limb. Hatred, agitation and violence have no place in political debate,” said Seibeld on Wednesday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack as “outrageous and cowardly.” “Anyone who gets involved deserves respect,” wrote the SPD politician on X. Violence does not belong in democratic debate. “The decent and sensible people are clearly against it – and they are the majority!” said Scholz.
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Green Party politician attacked in Dresden
On Tuesday, the federal and state interior ministers met for a special meeting in light of the recent attacks on politicians and election campaigners. They spoke out in favor of better protection for politically active people and also for a tightening of criminal law.
On Friday last week, SPD politician Matthias Ecke was beaten up by four young men in Dresden. The top candidate for the European elections in Saxony wanted to put up election posters when the perpetrators surprised him. The Saxony State Criminal Police Office attributes at least one of them to the right-wing spectrum.
On Tuesday evening, the Green Party’s top candidate for the city council, Yvonne Mosler, was attacked by two people while hanging up election posters in Dresden. Shortly afterwards, police officers identified a 24-year-old and a 34-year-old as suspects, as the Dresden Police Department announced. A police spokesman did not say who the attacked person was.
The male attacker pushed the politician aside around 6:50 p.m., insulted and threatened her, it was said. He is also said to have torn down two election posters. According to the information, the 24-year-old woman came over and suddenly spat on the politician, who was accompanied by helpers and a filming team.
The police found the two in close proximity. The 34-year-old German is being investigated for bodily harm, threats, insults and damage to property and the 24-year-old German is being investigated for bodily harm. Because the two were said to have previously stood with a group from which the Hitler salute was said to have been shown, they are also being investigated for using the symbols of unconstitutional organizations. Both suspects remained at large, the police spokesman said.