FOCUS online: Mrs. S., on June 6, your son was beaten up by several youths in Markdorf. How did you find out about the crime?
I received a desperate call from my son and of course I went straight to him. The police was already on the scene and luckily he had the presence of mind to warn them. The perpetrators then ran away. My son was extremely exhausted.
, he was just in total shock. I found it unbearable to see him like this.
Perfidious criminals: they skipped school to ambush victims
The crime was filmed by the young people. How did you feel when you first saw the video?
My son sent me the video the night of the crime. He said to me, “Mom, don’t get too angry, don’t cry.” But of course I cried. When a mother sees something like this, her heart breaks. I saw my son paralyzed as he endured the blows. He couldn’t defend himself. Of course, you have an insane amount of anger in your stomach at first.
How did the crime actually start?
The perpetrators are my son’s classmates. That day my son finished school after fifth period and was on his way to my parents. The boys in question actually went to school longer, but skipped sixth period to follow him. So the crime was definitely planned.
What reason did the perpetrators have to attack her son?
Clearly: none. In the video you hear a boy say that my son called his grandfather an asshole. My son would never do that. He has a good relationship with his grandparents. And even if that were the case, it obviously does not justify such a terrible act of violence. He had a fight with one of the other boys two years ago, but it was resolved long ago.
I think these guys are just looking for a trivial reason to strike. This is currently in fashion, they film the act and feel cool, strong and superior.
“It didn’t happen at school”
What else do you know about the perpetrators?
The attack on my son is by no means an isolated incident. This group is known at school for their violent excesses and one of the boys even has a criminal record. Two went to class with my son until seventh grade. Then he moved to middle school, these guys moved to high school. There they joined forces and have been attacking and threatening other students ever since. For example, a week after the crime, someone from this group hit a girl again. You wonder why the school doesn’t intervene.
Has the school not yet taken action?
Not at first. All I ever heard was, “It didn’t happen at school.” I thought that was ridiculous. Firstly, my son was still on his way home from school and secondly, the perpetrators should not have been at school until after the case. According to the press, the three perpetrators who struck were expelled from school, but were even allowed to return to school after three days. !
So the perpetrators are still in school?
Precisely. Yesterday my son briefly returned to his classroom for a test. Then I got a call from him: “Mom, the boys are back!” Three of them were hanging around the school grounds and threatened him again: “That’s right, if you’re not careful, you’ll soon get hit in the face again.” I cannot understand at all why this group is not expelled completely.
“These guys will continue.”
How does your son experience the situation?
He is scared and traumatized and is obviously very afraid to go back into the school building. After yesterday’s experience he collapsed at home. At fourteen, young people are generally at a difficult age: puberty, school stress and sometimes arguments with their parents. When such extreme bullying is added to the mix, it is just too much. I am now taking him to a child psychologist.
What consequences do you demand for the perpetrators?
I have already contacted a lawyer. I am going to demand compensation and ensure that these people are no longer allowed to approach my son at school. But of course I still hope for a complete expulsion from school. Because these guys will continue, I’m sure. They didn’t think about their actions at all. No learning process has yet taken place.