Fear of knife attacks: debate about intensified gun law in Baden-Württemberg

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The debate about knife attacks in Germany is shaped by various initiatives and political voices. In view of the alarming increase of such attacks, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) has announced that it would tighten the right of weapons. A central topic is security in public transport, for which Martin Burkert, the head of the railway and transport union, demands a ban on weapons in trains and at train stations.

increase in knife attacks

The police crime statistics (PKS) has been capturing precisely knife attacks since 2022. Compared to 2022, when 8,160 cases were registered, the number of knife attacks in Germany rose to 8,951 in 2023. In addition, there are 4,893 predatory offenses in which a knife was also used, which is also an increase compared to the 4,195 cases in the previous year. In Baden-Württemberg in particular, the knife attacks rose from 2,727 to 3,104 cases-an increase of 13.5 percent.

public transport and security

The concentration of knife attacks in public transport and at train stations re -lived up to the discussion about security measures. In 2023, the federal police documented 777 incidents in its area of ​​responsibility. This correlates with an increased concern of the population for their own security in the subway and S-railways as well as at train stations.

Who are the perpetrators?

An analysis of the suspects shows that the proportion of immigrants and non -Germans with around 50 percent is above the population share of these groups. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, 3,991 suspects were recorded in 2022, 1,765 of whom were not Germans. This data also raises questions about the social and economic background of the perpetrators, because many of them come from difficult conditions.

Measures for containment

The discussion about possible measures has produced several approaches, including the ban on knives with a blade length of more than six centimeters, which already applies in cities such as Frankfurt, Berlin and Hamburg. The CDU state chairman in Baden-Württemberg even pleads for a general ban on knife wearing in public without losing sight of the exceptions necessary for craftsmen and farms.

relevance of the topic

The increasing discomfort of the population and the feeling of inner uncertainty are crucial for the social relevance of the knife attacks. Despite the fact that there are only minor injuries or no injuries in over 90 percent of the knife attacks, the increasing phenomenon of violence leads to increased reporting and sensitization in society.

How effective are prohibition zones?

In cities such as Düsseldorf and Stuttgart, there are already weapons ban zones. But experts warn that these measures do not have the hoped -for effect without more intensive controls. An improved control regime is necessary to effectively reduce violence in public space.

summarized, the current discussion about knife attacks in Germany shows that a multifactorial strategy is necessary to improve security in society. The combination of political decisions, social awareness and improved preventive measures could help to contain the increase in knife power and to strengthen the feeling of security.