A man attacked several people with a knife in the city of Mannheim in southwestern Germany on Friday morning, police said, with an anti-Islam activist reported among the victims.
Disturbing video footage of the incident—which was broadcast live on YouTube—appears to show the man slashing at several people with the blade, including a police officer, before being shot by an armed cop. Local authorities said the attack took place at around 11:35 a.m. in the market square.
“One person is said to have attacked several people with a knife and injured them,” police said in a statement. “No information can be given yet about the extent and severity of the injuries. A firearm was then used against the attacker. The attacker was also injured as a result.”
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According to the local Mannheimer Morgen newspaper, a police spokesperson at the scene described the wounded officer’s injuries as severe. The outlet also reported that an “anti-Islam rally took place on the market square” on the morning of the attack, though said it hasn’t yet been confirmed if the rampage was connected with the event.
The Citizens’ Movement Pax Europa (BPE), a group which describes itself as being committed to informing the public about “the existential threats” posed to European countries by “political Islam,” said Michael Stürzenberger and several BPE “helpers” were stabbed during its rally.
The organization cited eyewitness reports in claiming that Stürzenberger—a well-known right-wing activist and critic of Islam—had “suffered severe stab wounds to his face and leg” and was receiving medical attention. A colleague of Stürzenberger told Bild he is “undergoing emergency surgery” and his “life is apparently not in danger.”
Police said a rescue helicopter was deployed in response to the incident, adding that there was no ongoing danger to the public.
