MANNHEIM. A political opponent of the AfD stabbed AfD candidate Heinrich Koch in Mannheim on Wednesday evening. The 62-year-old local politician was taken to hospital with lacerations. The perpetrator was arrested. There is also a video of the incident.
This video shows the attack on Heinrich Koch, the AfD politician, in Mannheim. #mannheim #dept pic.twitter.com/nWrUVHxT4w
— Young Freedom (@Junge_Freiheit) June 5, 2024
The police announced on Wednesday afternoon: “A 25-year-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday evening at 10:30 pm on Schwabenheimer Straße in Mannheim. He is said to have previously damaged and stolen several election posters on Relaisstrasse.” It further states: “An AfD politician, who was also aware of what happened, chased the suspect and arrested him. The 25-year-old suspect then allegedly injured the AfD politician with a knife. The man was arrested shortly after the crime.
The perpetrator is said to be mentally ill
Police claimed there was “clear evidence of mental illness during the arrest.” A police spokeswoman could not explain to JF how this came about. “A warrant for arrest is of course not issued by us, but by a doctor who checks suitability for detention.” He is now in a ‘psychiatric hospital’. Apparently there was no evidence that the man did not recognize the AfD politician. However, there are numerous election posters in the city with the image of AfD politician Koch.
The attack took place at 10:45 p.m., near the market square Afghan carried out a knife attack on Friday on six members of the civil society Pax Europa, including Michael Stürzenberger, and murdered police officer Rouven L.
AfD Mannheim describes the perpetrators as left-wing extremists
According to him, Koch, whose main job is as an industrial engineer, would have done so Neighborhood association saw the later perpetrator tear down AfD posters. When he asked him about it, he allegedly stabbed him. The Mannheim police only officially confirmed that a police operation had taken place that morning. She plans to release more information tomorrow morning.
The AfD spoke of an attack by a left-wing extremist. AfD Bundestag member Markus Frohnmaier from Baden-Württemberg told JUNGE FREIHEIT that, as far as he knew, the AfD candidate was attacked with a box cutter and injured in the stomach and probably also in the face. He’s in the hospital and responding. Frohnmaier was shocked by the crime. “This is also due to an intellectual mobilization against the AfD, which has led to our party being continually placed outside the democratic consensus. Violent perpetrators then feel encouraged to take action against AfD politicians.”
Last Friday, a police officer was killed in the city in an assassination attempt by a rejected Afghan asylum seeker. The attack targeted well-known Islam critic Michael Stürzenberger, who was also seriously injured in the attack. During an AfD vigil on Sunday The left-wing extremist Antifa tried to storm the city’s market square and attack AfD supporters. However, the police were able to prevent this.
AfD leaders react shocked
The AfD party and parliamentary faction leader, Alice Weidel, expressed her shock to JUNGE FREIHEIT: “It is a frightening act that leaves you stunned. I wish Mr. Koch a speedy recovery and that he recovers quickly from the shock.”
AfD party leader Tino Chrupalla was also shocked. “In Mannheim, our municipal candidate Heinrich Koch was injured with a knife while destroying posters. Our members and representatives are the victims of political violence and destruction most often,” the politician wrote on X.
In Mannheim, our municipal candidate Heinrich Koch was injured with a knife while destroying posters. Our members and representatives are the most common victims of political violence and destruction. That can’t stop us. Speedy recovery, Heinrich!
— Tino Chrupalla (@Tino_Chrupalla) June 5, 2024
The mayor of Mannheim, Christian Specht (CDU), wished Koch a quick and full recovery. The politician described the attack as ‘cowardly’ and ‘unjustified’. Specht continued: “Anyone who attacks election candidates calls into question our free, equal, universal, direct and secret elections – and therefore the foundation of our democracy,” he said.
Koch is currently a district advisory council member for the AfD in the Mannheim district of Rheinau. In addition to his political work, the reserve lieutenant colonel works as a qualified engineer and vehicle expert. In next Sunday’s local elections he will be a candidate for the Mannheim city council, in third place on the AfD list. (fh/ho)