In the aftermath of the deadly knife attack in Aschaffenburg, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, held a meeting with security authorities to discuss the incident. Bundeskanzleramts-Vice Director Jürgen Peters was also in attendance.
Prior to the meeting, Scholz had expressed his shock and outrage over the attack, stating, “This is an unfathomable terrorist act in Aschaffenburg: one of the dead is a small child.” He extended his condolences to the victims and their families.
However, the Chancellor’s sentiments turned to frustration as he lamented the recurring nature of such violent incidents in Germany. “I am tired of these violent acts happening every few weeks” he said. “It is unacceptable that perpetrators, who are supposed to have sought refuge here, can still be among us. Misunderstood tolerance is completely out of place.”
Scholz emphasized the need for authorities to swiftly uncover the circumstances that allowed the attacker to remain in Germany and for immediate consequences to be drawn from the findings. “It is not enough to simply talk” he stressed.
The attack, which took place in a park in the Franconian city of Aschaffenburg, resulted in the deaths of a two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man. A 28-year-old Afghan man, who had previously resided in an asylum shelter, is currently the prime suspect.