BERLIN (AP) — German leaders paid tribute Sunday to the three people killed in the Aug. 23 attacks. knife attack by a suspected Islamic extremist, who forced immigration back to the top of the country’s political agenda.
Eight people were also injured in the attack at a “Festival of Diversity” marking the 650th anniversary of the city of Solingen in western Germany. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said at a memorial service at a city theater that he was “relieved and grateful” that none of them were now in serious danger.
The 26-year-old Syrian suspectwho was arrested a day after the attack, was due to be deported to Bulgaria last year, but is said to have disappeared for a while and escaped deportation.
The government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced new restrictions on knives and new measures to facilitate deportations in recent days. Friday deported Afghan citizens for the first time since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, returning to their homeland, following a promise made in June after an earlier attack.
“It is a horrible crime that brings us together today, committed by a man who, according to everything we know, sought and found protection here, and abused that protection so terribly,” Steinmeier said at the commemoration, which was also attended by Scholz and other top officials. “That is also unacceptable.”
Steinmeier said that “for good reasons we are a country that takes in people seeking protection from political persecution and war.” He added that “we want to remain that country, but ultimately we can only do that if the number of people who are not entitled to this special protection does not put too much of a burden on us.”
“We must do everything we can to implement the existing and currently established access rules,” he said, adding that “this must be a priority in the coming years”.
The attack in Solingen has also brought back painful memories of a racist attack firebomb attack in 1993 in the home of a Turkish family, killing five women and girls. Four young Germans were later convicted.
“There was already a shocking attack on Solingen, now a second,” said Mayor Tim Kurzbach. “Why always Solingen?”