Berlin’s Economics Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD) was slightly injured in a physical attack in the Rudow district. A man suddenly attacked the former mayor in a library “from behind with a bag filled with hard contents and hit her in the head and neck,” said the Berlin police and public prosecutor’s office.
The Police State Security took over the investigation. After the attack, the former Federal Minister for Family Affairs “went briefly to a hospital for outpatient treatment of headaches and neck pain,” the authorities said in a statement. It was not initially announced whether the suspect, who initially fled, was later arrested. When asked, the police did not comment on his motive.
Berlin Senator for the Interior Iris Spranger (SPD) reacted with horror to the attack on her party colleague responsible for the economy, energy and businesses. “I condemn in the strongest terms the attack on Franziska Giffey and other politicians or election workers, all of whom are committed to a contentious democracy,” wrote Spranger on the X platform, formerly Twitter. “The state and federal police are doing everything they can to protect politicians. The Conference of Interior Ministers agreed at the special meeting yesterday that democracy is more effective against incitement
Attacks are increasing
Yesterday, the federal and state interior ministers met for a special meeting against the backdrop of the recent attacks on politicians and election campaigners. They spoke out in favor of better protection for politically active people and also for a tightening of criminal law.
On Friday last week, SPD politician Matthias Ecke was beaten up by four young men in Dresden. The top candidate for the European elections in Saxony wanted to put up election posters when the perpetrators surprised him. The Saxony State Criminal Police Office attributes at least one of them to the right-wing spectrum. On Tuesday evening, a politician from the Green Party was also the victim of an attack in Dresden. The police initially did not make her name public.
In addition, a 47-year-old Green politician was attacked by two people yesterday while hanging election posters in Dresden. A police spokesman initially refused to say who the person attacked was. She was pushed aside, insulted, threatened and spat on. Shortly afterwards, police arrested a 24-year-old and a 34-year-old as suspects, the Dresden police department announced.
