After a deadly incident at a Hamburg U‑station, politicians called for clear consequences. On Thursday evening an 18‑year‑old Iranian woman was pushed by a 25‑year‑old South Sudanese man into a train that was about to arrive, and both of them died. According to police, the attacker and the victim did not appear to know one another.
Alexander Throm, the CDU/CSU caucus’s interior spokesperson, told “Stern” that the case starkly illustrates how many traumatised people have come to Germany. He added that it would be impossible to provide sufficiently comprehensive care for all of them just by sheer numbers and that protecting people in Germany must be a priority. Throm questioned whether a country so far from home is the right solution for such individuals and argued that strengthening local support services is preferable. He also pointed out that Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) had already halted humanitarian reception programmes for refugees before the incident, and that the South Sudanese man had entered Germany in 2024 under such a programme.
Dennis Gladiator, CDU Hamburg’s interior spokesperson, said to the magazine that humanity obliges Germany to aid those in need, but it must not mean leaving people with serious violent crimes unchecked. When violence is clear yet no effective measures are taken, Gladiator called it a political problem demanding urgent resolution, and urged that no political side should block action.
Sebastian Fiedler, the SPD caucus’s interior spokesperson, explained that security authorities and the Interior Ministers’ Conference are already working intensively to prevent attacks like this. He noted that many countries have tools to identify potential violent offenders early and employ varied measures to stop wrongdoing. Fiedler remarked that this work, however, cannot help the young victim who was already dead.
Clara Bünger, the Left caucus’s interior spokesperson, highlighted the need for preventive measures at train stations. She pointed out how often people are pushed onto tracks, fall, or otherwise end up on the tracks across Germany, creating fatal situations. Bünger called for urgent protection systems to prevent such incidents, noting that countries like the UK and Japan have already installed glass partitions in some stations to keep passengers off the tracks.