Attack in Berlin

Female politicians attacked in Dresden and Berlin

Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey was attacked from behind.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Kay Nietfeld)

A few days after the attack on the Saxon SPD MEP Matthias Ecke, there have been further attacks on female politicians in Germany. In Berlin, Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey (SPD) suffered minor injuries in an assault. A 74-year-old man was arrested as the suspect. In Dresden, a Green politician was also attacked on Tuesday.

Giffey (SPD) was attacked in a library in the Rudow district on Tuesday afternoon. A man suddenly "attacked the former mayor from behind with a bag filled with hard contents and hit her on the head and neck", the police and public prosecutor's office in Berlin announced on Wednesday night. Giffey briefly went to hospital for outpatient treatment for head and neck pain. 

On Wednesday, the police were able to arrest the suspected attacker. He is a 74-year-old who is already known to state security, according to "Bild". In the past, he had written letters to politicians and denied the state. 

Indications of mental illness 
The investigators announced that the suspect's home was now being searched. As there are indications of mental illness, the public prosecutor's office is considering placing him in a psychiatric institution.

After the attack on her party colleague Ecke, Giffey spoke on Twitter of a "heinous and shocking act":

Two attackers in attack in Dresden 
The Green politician in Dresden - whose name the police initially refused to give - was pushed aside, insulted and threatened by a 34-year-old man on Tuesday evening, according to the Dresden police headquarters. He is also said to have torn down two election posters. A 24-year-old woman joined in and suddenly spat at the politician - who was accompanied by helpers and a film crew. The police confronted the two in the immediate vicinity. The 34-year-old German is being investigated for assault, threats, insults and damage to property and the 24-year-old German woman for assault.

Because the two had allegedly stood with a group from which the Hitler salute was shown, they are also being investigated for using symbols of unconstitutional organizations. Both suspects remain at large, the police spokesman reported.

Teenagers attacked SPD top candidate
It was only on Friday that Matthias Ecke, the leading SPD candidate for the EU elections in Saxony, was beaten up and seriously injured by four young men aged 17 and 18 in Dresden when he tried to put up election posters. The Saxony State Criminal Police Office (LKA) attributes at least one of them to the right-wing spectrum. According to the police, shortly before the attack on Ecke, the same group had presumably injured a Green campaign worker nearby.

On Tuesday, the federal and state interior ministers met for a special meeting against the backdrop of the attacks and spoke out in favor of tightening criminal law to better protect politicians and campaigners.