An anti-Muslim campaigner has posted a picture from his hospital bed after he was stabbed by a knifeman at an anti-Islam rally in Germany.
The attacker went on a rampage and stabbed well-known Islam critic Michael Stuerzenberger, a police officer and several bystanders in Mannheim city centre, which was live streamed on YouTube yesterday morning.
The man was shot dead by officers at the scene and has been named by local outlet Der Spiegel as Sulaiman A, 25, who was born in Herat, Afghanistan, and lived in the Hesse state.
The officer remains in a critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery for several hours for two stab wounds to the back and neck.
Stuerzenberger was also taken to hospital before undergoing a successful surgery for the stabbing injuries to his face. Speaking from his hospital bed, he revealed he was ‘really close’ to death after also being knifed in the leg, chest and arm.
The 59-year-old posted a new clip of the incident to his Telegram channel, which he said showed the ‘courageous intervention’ by police who attempted to subdue the knifeman.
Anti-Muslim campaigner Michael Stuerzenberger posted this picture from his hospital bed after he was stabbed by a knifeman at an anti-Islam rally in Germany
Video footage of the attack shows he knifeman lying on the ground as members of the public stand over the top of him and wrestle the knife from his hand
But in a moment of confusion, one police officer can be seen tackling an innocent steward, wearing a blue vest, to the ground
This misread of the situation then gives the bloodthirsty attacker a chance to get to his feet and circle behind the officer before ramming his blade into the policeman’s neck
Writing on social media earlier today, Stuerzenberger said: ‘It was really close yesterday. Four doctors just came to see me. There was a second stab wound in the leg above the knee, fortunately without damaging the tendon.
‘The other stab wound in the thigh hit veins and caused significant blood loss.
‘The stab wound in the side of the chest, which went towards the lungs, could have been life-threatening. The injury to the upper arm is relatively minor.
‘The stabs in the face are different. I have braces in the side of my jaw. My upper lip was stitched and I had a gaping open wound down to my teeth.
‘A big thank you to all the doctors and facial surgeons who came from a special clinic. What a single Afghan ‘refugee’ can do with a knife.’
Stuerzenberger has also took to social media to thank those who helped save him, writing: ‘Thank you […] to all police officers and security personnel who courageously stood up against the attacker.’
‘I hope that the police officer with the throat stab wound and all other injured get well soon,’ he added, after saying he underwent successful surgery for the stabbing injuries to his face.
The rampage began when man dressed in a dark hooded jacket and tracksuit, (seen centre right) tackled a BPE member to the ground and began violently swinging a large blade at him
The man believed to be Stuerzenberger (right) tumbles to the ground following the initial attack as other BPE members push the knifeman away
The bespectacled and bearded attacker is clearly seen holding a blade several inches long
He later said: ‘Best recovery wishes also to Moritz, who suffered a stab wound in his leg and was operated for two hours, as well as Paul, who was injured on the upper arm and probably lost a lot of blood.
‘He had bravely pulled the alleged Afghan Muslim away from me. Without Paul, everything could possibly have turned out a lot worse. Get well soon also to our […] Rainer, who also suffered knife injuries. You are all heroes.’
Stuerzenberger added: ‘Many thanks also to Moni, who once again did a great job as head of security and gave first aid to my heavily bleeding wounds. That could have ended really badly.’
Mannheim police was criticised on social media for their handling of the situation after it appeared that the injured officer tackled one of the victims of the attack, seemingly misunderstanding the unfolding situation.
The video posted by Stuerzenberger to his Telegram channel shows the officer pulling the steward in the blue jacket off an innocent man who ‘may have confused the attacker and defender in the scramble’.
This misread of the situation gave the bloodthirsty attacker a chance to circle behind and ram his blade into the policeman’s neck.
In the face of the criticism, police defiantly asked users whether they were present for the attack or ‘only watched the video’.
During the attack bystanders attempted to drag the knifeman away. One of his victims is seen with wounds to his thigh
But the knifeman later broke free and turned his blade on other bystanders, including a police officer
Blood smears are seen on the floor as the knifeman rounds on a police officer who unknowingly tackled an innocent steward to the ground
The savage blade is clearly seen in this grab from the YouTube live stream as the attack goes to stab the officer in the neck
The knifeman did not respond to officers’ orders and was shot at near point-blank range
‘It’s a bit questionable why the officer misjudged the situation so badly, even though the man was clearly wearing a blue club vest like the others and it was actually pretty easy to tell the people apart,’ one person wrote.
The police replied asking: ‘Does a blue vest mean that you don’t commit any crimes?’. In another reply the force also said: ‘Do you think that no one else can buy a jacket like that?’
They were also accused of being ‘incompetent’ and ‘overwhelmed’, to which the force replied: ‘… and you were there, or have you ever been in such a situation?’
However in a statement Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann, 76, defended their action, adding: ‘Anyone who attacks police officers is attacking our democratic constitutional state.’
He continued: ‘The brutal act of violence in Mannheim has left us stunned. All our thoughts are with the injured and their families. We sincerely hope that everyone will recover.
‘Our thanks go to the police forces, who prevented something even worse from happening through their decisive action.’
Thomas Mohr, chairman of the police union (GdP) in Mannheim, told local outlet Mannheimer Morgen: ‘This attack shocks me deeply and I am personally very affected.’
‘The officers are risking their lives to protect others,’ the union’s deputy chairman Michael Mertens added.
Police officers flooded the scene checking on the victims and the attacker who was shot and collapsed to the ground
A bystander attends to one of the knifeman’s victims
Forensic investigators are deployed to the scene in Mannheim market square
The aftermath of the stabbing is seen in Mannheim
He said the attack shows that police officers ‘must expect massive outbreaks of violence and attempted murder at any time.’
The shocking spree unfolded in Mannheim city centre where Stuerzenberger was speaking at an event of the Citizens’ Movement Pax Europa (BPE) – a group that advocates against the ‘Islamisation’ of Europe.
Around 11.30am local time on Friday, half an hour before the anti-Islam rally was due to start, chaos broke out when the knifeman dressed in a dark hooded jacket, green shirt and tracksuit bottoms tackled Stuerzenberger to the ground and violently swung a large blade at him, prompting terrified screams from onlookers.
Other BPE members sprinted over and tried to drag the knifeman away, but the would-be killer wriggled free and dove on top of the bloodied victim to plunge the weapon in for a second time.
Police descended on the scene almost immediately – but not before the attacker had left two people lying on the floor, blood pooling on the cobblestones.
Officers were heard screaming ‘throw the knife away!’ – but with the knifeman not responding to any orders the officers opened fire from near point blank range and sent him crashing to the ground.
German media reported the knifeman died from his gunshot wounds, while his victims were rushed to hospital.
Debris is seen piled around the scene of the crime
View of the crime scene after a knife attack in the city centre in Mannheim, Germany, 31 May 2024
View of the crime scene after a knife attack in the city centre in Mannheim, Germany, 31 May 2024. According to the police, a man attacked a well-known critic of Islam in the centre of Mannheim
View of the crime scene after a knife attack in the city centre in Mannheim, Germany, 31 May 2024
The local Islamic association strongly condemned the attack in a statement, adding that it was an ‘attack on the basic values of our open society’.
Officials Erdinç Altuntas Hizir Oymak jointly stressed that freedom of expression is a valuable asset that must be protected.
‘We call on all members of our society to work together for peaceful and respectful coexistence. It is important to build bridges of understanding and tolerance and to oppose extremism in all forms,’ they said.
Stefanie Kizina, treasurer of the BPE, said in a video statement posted after the attack that it was ‘an act of terror’.
‘The attack happened before the event even started, it must have been planned well in advance,’ she added.
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