Concerns mount amidst surge in stabbings within interior legislative circles
Berlin, Germany - Iris Spranger, the city's Interior Senator, has expressed concern over the increasing knife violence in the capital, following a series of attacks that have left several victims in critical condition.
On Friday, a man in Berlin-Reinickendorf was attacked with a knife, resulting in him losing sight in one eye. This incident followed a violent altercation at the Humboldt Forum that led to the death of a 20-year-old Syrian.
Last year, the Berlin police registered 3,412 knife attacks in the capital, an average of almost 10 per day. This represents the second-highest number of knife attacks in a long-term comparison for the city.
In response to the rising violence, Spranger has initiated measures to combat knife violence. Since February 2025, there are three knife ban zones in Berlin at crime hotspots: Leopoldplatz, Görlitzer Park, and Kottbusser Tor. In these zones, the police can conduct checks independently of specific suspicions.
Spranger emphasizes that controls will continue to be intense and that the effect of these zones is not immediate. She believes that a change in awareness is required to effectively address the issue.
The Senator also stated that they closely examine the situation at every location with a high crime rate and draw the necessary conclusions. For instance, since mid-July, a knife ban has been in place on buses and trains in Berlin.
However, Spranger considers knife violence to be a societal issue that cannot be solved solely with police measures. She neither ruled out nor confirmed the creation of further knife ban zones, but stated that no concrete plans have been announced for the future.
Spranger sees the rise in violent crimes involving knives as justifying the measures she has initiated to combat knife violence. She believes that these actions are necessary to protect the citizens of Berlin and reduce the number of knife attacks in the city.
Read also:
- United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
