BERLIN – An Afghan asylum seeker, suspected of a deadly knife attack on children in a German park, has been arrested, sparking a fierce debate on migration policies and intensifying the campaign for Germany’s February 23 national election.
The 28-year-old suspect, known for prior violent behavior and undergoing psychiatric treatment, was scheduled to appear before a judge on January 23 to determine his pre-trial detention. Despite having his asylum claim rejected and agreeing to leave Germany voluntarily in December, he remained in the country under treatment, according to Bavaria’s interior minister.
The attack in Aschaffenburg on January 22 resulted in the deaths of a two-year-old Moroccan boy and a 41-year-old man who attempted to stop the assailant. Three others were injured.
Katrin Burger, who organized a protest in response to the attack, called for a robust deportation policy, emphasizing the need for those ordered to leave Germany to actually depart.
This incident has escalated public concerns about security and migration, propelling support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now ranked second in polls behind the conservative CDU/CSU.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democrats are lagging in polls, labeled the attack as an “unbelievable act of terror” and convened an emergency meeting with security officials. He criticized the recurring violence by individuals seeking asylum in Germany, stressing the need for immediate action based on the investigation’s findings.
Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader and election front-runner, called for decisive political responses to such tragedies. However, some Germans attribute the current migration situation to the policies under former Chancellor Angela Merkel, which led to a significant influx of migrants in 2015.
AfD’s Tino Chrupalla, highlighting support from tech mogul Elon Musk, advocated for stringent asylum policies, including deporting dangerous asylum seekers with cooperation from Afghanistan’s Taliban government. He also pushed for safer public spaces for families.
The Free Democrats echoed the need for diplomatic engagement with the Taliban to manage deportations, following Austria’s approach.
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann noted that while the investigation prioritizes the suspect’s mental health, no evidence of Islamist radicalization was found during the initial search of his living quarters.
