In response to a fatal knife attack on April 12, Berlin’s Interior Senator Iris Spranger is advocating for tighter regulations on carrying bladed weapons in public transit areas.
As reported by Tagesspiegel, representatives from the city’s public transportation network, the BVG, and the federal police are expected to meet in the coming days to evaluate the proposed measures.
The renewed urgency for stricter rules follows a violent incident in the Berlin subway, where a confrontation between a 43-year-old Syrian man and a 29-year-old German man escalated into a stabbing. Law enforcement officials reported that the Syrian man drew a kitchen knife from his waistband and stabbed the other man three times during the altercation.
Despite being critically injured, the victim was able to exit the train before collapsing on the platform. Emergency responders attempted to resuscitate him, but he died at the scene.
The assailant fled but was quickly located by police. During the arrest attempt, he reportedly behaved aggressively, leading officers to open fire. He later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Authorities have stated that the motive behind the conflict remains unclear. However, they emphasized that “there are no signs that the attack was related to Islamist terrorism.”
