Germany plans to deport immigrants who perform knife assaults
Germany is planning to deport immigrants who carry out knife attacks, in the wake of the stabbing at the Solingen music festival.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Thursday that the government would toughen knife controls and curb benefits for some illegal migrants in response to the suspected Islamist stabbing.
Three people were killed and eight others injured at a festival in the western Dutch city of Solingen on Friday, in an attack allegedly carried out by a 26-year-old Syrian man with links to the Islamic State group.
A 26-year-old suspect, named as ‘Issa Al H’ was arrested at a home for refugees in Solingen. He targeted the Fronhof, a market square, where live bands were playing to celebrate Solingen’s 650-year history
The knife attack has inflamed the debate over immigration in Germany and put pressure on the government to act ahead of key regional elections on Sunday.
Germany has said it will deport immigrants who carry out knife crimes following the Solingen stabbing. Pictured: The stabbing suspect being dragged to his arraignment
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement Thursday that the government would tighten knife controls and curb benefits for illegal migrants
A sign that reads: ‘We just wanted to celebrate, but then the death came’ is placed next to flowers and candles
A map showing the location of the stabbing at the Fronhof and the refugee shelter where a suspect was arrested
At a press conference today, Faeser said the stabbing had ‘shocked us deeply’.
Outlining the new measures, she said: ‘We will introduce a general ban on handling switchblade knives and also clarify with examples of regulations when an individual person is banned from weapons.
‘To combat Islamists, we need strong security authorities with additional powers, especially in the digital world.
‘In future, investigating authorities will be authorised to carry out biometric comparisons of Internet data, so-called facial recognition, with publicly accessible sources, i.e. on the Internet and in social media.’
She continued: ‘Anyone who is not entitled to protection in Germany must leave our country more quickly.
‘To this end, we will also take further measures with regard to the right of residence and repatriation. We will define a particularly serious interest in deportation for offences committed with a knife that result in a prison sentence of at least six months.’
The minister said that migration policy must be ‘scrutinised’ and ‘made more effective’ in order to speed up deportations of foreign criminals.
She said: ‘We are continuing to work at full speed to once again enable the return of dangerous persons and serious offenders to Afghanistan and Syria.
‘We will also work together with representatives of the federal states and the biggest opposition party and meet next week to discuss possible further measures.”
The stabbing was carried out at a festival in the western Dutch city of Solingen
An ambulance and police stand on August 24, 2024 near the scene where at least three people were killed and several injured
Candles and flowers and the inscription ‘Why? You are not alone’ are pictured on late August 24, 2024 near the area where three people were killed and several injured
‘And that is why we agreed that the entire process of migration policy, in particular the deportation of foreigners who are obliged to leave the country, must be scrutinised, must be made more effective, must be designed more effectively so that we can also deport more quickly, so that we can deport more successfully.’
Carrying knives at festivals, like the one in Solingen, as well as “sports events and other similar public events” will be banned, she added.
Ms Faeser clarified there would be reasoned exceptions to the ban, including for those working in hospitality and performers.
Knives will also be banned on long-distance trains, she said, with police given more powers to search members of the public.
