Breast of krome: security or illusion? Voices from BW!

Breast of krome: security or illusion? Voices from BW!

Mannheim, Deutschland - On May 30, 2025, a commemoration for the young police officer Rouven Laur, who was stabbed by a suspected Islamist a year ago, took place in Mannheim. The terrible incident occurred on a marketplace that is located within a weapon and knife ban zone. These prohibition zones were set up by several cities in Baden-Württemberg, including Stuttgart, Mannheim, Heilbronn, Heidelberg and Ulm. The background to these measures is the increased number of knife attacks in public spaces, which rose by 3.2%in about 1,300 cases in 2024, as ZVW.de

The legal basis for the establishment of weapons and knife ban zones were created in October 2022. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) is also planning a knife ban on buses and trains, which is to be expanded in all types of knives, including fuzzy butterms and Swiss pocket knives. Exceptions apply only to emergency services, doctors, firefighters as well as hunters and fishermen. From the end of October 2024, a general ban will come into force for the management of knives at public events. The Ministry of the Interior sees the knife ban zones as an additional component to increase security in public space.

Current developments and statistics

However, a survey shows that 62% of citizens in Baden-Württemberg are skeptical about the effectiveness of knife ban zones. Only 13% believe in their sustainable effect. These concerns are in contrast to the goals of politics that want to implement measures to reinforce public security. Over the past ten years, the number of knife attacks in the country has increased by about 10%. For 2023, an increase in knife attacks by 13.5% is predicted to 1,295 cases, such as Baden-wuertttemberg.de reported.

The police have secured a total of 180 banned knives in Stuttgart since the introduction of the prohibition zone in February 2023, including one -handed knives. Police unions are positive about the ban on knife, but demand more checks for deterrent, since the risk of discovery is crucial for potential perpetrators. Ralf Kusterer, head of state of the DPolg, emphasizes that the controls are crucial for the deterrent of crimes.

social feedback and challenges

Despite the official positive assessments of the effectiveness of the effectiveness of the betting zones, some police officers express skepticism. They report on a still high number of knife attacks, the number of cases of which does not drop. A scientific perspective is formulated by Dirk Baier, a professor of criminology, that warns that these measures only combat the symptoms of violent crime. He calls for more comprehensive approaches to prevention of violence, such as empathy and conflict resolution training in schools.

The introduction of weapon ban zones was a reaction to an increase in knife attacks, especially after the terrorist attack by Solingen in August 2024. However, it turns out that experts are uniformly of the opinion that these zones are only part of a larger package of measures to improve the security situation. The fight against violent crime requires a bundle of initiatives and not just selective bans. In this regard, the left-wing city councilor Luigi Pantisano, who expresses concerns about the possible discrimination against certain groups of people in the prohibition zones, is also expressed, especially towards young men with a history of migration.