A knife attack in a Bavarian park spreads fear in Germany. The attacker, a 28-year-old Afghan housed in a center for asylum seekers, killed a man and a 2-year-old child. This tragedy reignites the debate on…
Germany is in shock after a bloody knife attack on Saturday in a park in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg. According to the first elements of the investigation, the attacker was a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker housed in a neighboring center. This tragedy, which cost the lives of two people including a 2-year-old child, raises many questions about the suspect’s background and motivations.
An act of incredible violence
On Saturday around 11:45 a.m., a man attacked a group of children accompanied by two adults with a knife in Schöntal Park in Aschaffenburg. This extremely brutal attack left two victims: a 41-year-old man and a 2-year-old boy, both fatally injured. Another child and the second adult companion were seriously injured and hospitalized.
According to witnesses cited by the local daily Main-Echo, the attacker followed for a while this group which was returning from an outing to daycare. Intrigued by his behavior, the companions tried to move away, but the man then threw himself at them, first targeting the children. A scene of horror which deeply shocked the local community.
The alleged perpetrator, an Afghan awaiting asylum
Quickly arrested, the alleged perpetrator of this attack was identified as Enamullah O., a 28-year-old Afghan national. According to sources close to the investigation cited by the weekly Der Spiegel, he lived in a reception center for asylum seekers located in Azelnau, a town neighboring Aschaffenburg. The police also carried out a search of this home.
The tabloid Bild reports that Enamullah O. may have experienced psychological problems in the past. But at this stage, his precise motivations remain unclear. No link has yet been established between the assailant and the group he attacked.
The far right seizes the drama
This drama was immediately exploited by the German far right. On social networks, many officials and supporters of the nationalist AfD party denounced the government’s migration policy, accusing it of exposing the population to foreign criminals.
After that, we will be surprised that the AfD rises…
An Internet user on social networks
These indignant reactions echo the criticism regularly made by the AfD against the reception of refugees, a central theme in the party’s discourse since the migration crisis of 2015. At the time, Chancellor Angela Merkel had said the choice to widely open the country’s borders to asylum seekers, a controversial decision.
An isolated act which should not make us forget the outpouring of solidarity
Faced with these attempts at recovery, however, many voices are calling for hasty amalgamations not to be made. The vast majority of asylum seekers represent no danger and simply aspire to live in peace, they point out.
At the height of the refugee crisis, Germany welcomed more than a million people fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty, in an immense outpouring of generosity and humanity. An isolated criminal act, no matter how atrocious, must not overshadow this exemplary commitment to the most vulnerable.
-The authorities called on the population to be calm and not to give in to fantasies and fear of foreigners. The investigation must shed light on the circumstances and motivations of this attack, without preconceptions or stigmatization of a community as a whole.
Germany facing the integration of refugees
This tragic event also highlights the challenges of integrating the hundreds of thousands of refugees welcomed in Germany in recent years. Despite significant efforts in terms of accommodation, language training and professional integration, many obstacles remain.
- Access to the labor market
- Language barrier
- Trauma linked to exile
- Cultural differences
Studies show that the integration process takes time and requires tailored, long-term support. Germany, which is a model in Europe for its reception policy, must continue its efforts to enable these new arrivals to find their lasting place in society.
This tragedy also raises the question of the treatment of psychological disorders among certain asylum seekers. Faced with often traumatic journeys of exile, some may develop vulnerabilities which require detection and appropriate monitoring.
A political debate relaunched
More broadly, this news item risks relaunching the heated debate on German migration policy, which continues to deeply divide the country. Between supporters of a humanist and open line, and supporters of tougher controls and a limitation of flows, consensus seems difficult to find.
While the AfD is riding on fears and identity tensions, the government majority is calling for the foundations of a welcoming and tolerant society not to be called into question. But she is also in a hurry to provide concrete answers to the concerns of part of the population.
We must achieve integration, it is a central issue for the cohesion of our country. This requires firmness in the face of unacceptable behavior, but also more resources to support refugees.
A member of the majority
Germany, like its European neighbors, remains deeply divided on these issues. Between the duty of humanity and the temptation to withdraw, the migration equation remains complex to resolve. The challenge for policymakers is to find a balance between firmness and generosity.
The next electoral deadlines, in particular the European elections of 2024, will be an important test. They will say whether the populists manage to capitalize on this type of drama, or whether the traditional parties succeed in reassuring an electorate increasingly tempted by the sirens of closure.
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