Mannheim knife attack: Several injured in German market square

A person has attacked various folks with a knife at a market sq. within the south-west German metropolis of Mannheim, police say.

The incident was caught on a YouTube livestream and confirmed the attacker stabbing a person, after which a police officer who went to assist. He’s in a essential situation.

The attacker was shot and injured by one other police officer.

Unconfirmed studies recommend one of many folks injured was a far-right anti-Islam activist who had been holding a rally within the sq..

Police in Mannheim tweeted a few “main police operation” within the metropolis’s market sq. and a rescue helicopter was despatched to the scene.

One particular person attacked a number of others with a knife, injuring them, at 11:35 (10:35 BST), police stated in a follow-up assertion.

A firearm was then used in opposition to the attacker, it added.

The assault is known to have occurred concurrently a rally out there sq. hosted by far-right anti-Islam activist Michael Stürzenberger.

His organisation, the Residents’ Motion Pax Europa (BPE), confirmed to Bild newspaper that Mr Stürzenberger had been injured within the assault.

Police haven’t launched any additional details about these injured within the assault.

A livestreamed video from the occasion exhibits a person attacking folks with a knife. A minimum of one particular person is seen with a wound to the leg.

Quite a few bystanders are seen grappling with the attacker, who later manages to interrupt free and stab a police officer within the again.

A number of law enforcement officials with firearms then encompass him, earlier than he falls to the bottom.

In accordance with Bild, Michael Stürzenberger is the creator of an Islamophobic weblog, in addition to a member of the BPE, an organisation which says it stands in opposition to the “Islamisation” of Germany.

The 58-year-old is among the authors of the anti-Muslim platform PI-Information and is being monitored by the Bavarian home intelligence service.

A former politician, Mr Stürzenberger as soon as led a small right-wing populist get together Die Freiheit, which was dissolved in 2016.

Earlier than that, he was a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU) – the Bavarian sister get together of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – however left earlier than he was kicked out.