Police have urged the public not to label the incident a “terrorist attack.”
Five people sustained injuries in a knife attack on a bus in the western German city of Siegen, occurring precisely one week after a fatal stabbing in another western city, Solingen.
The incident unfolded around 7:40 PM on a bus transporting approximately 40 passengers to a city festival. The assailant, identified as a 32-year-old German national, inflicted stab wounds on multiple individuals before being subdued and apprehended.
At least five people were injured, with three described as “critically” and one as “seriously” injured, according to authorities.
The motive behind the attack remains uncertain, and police have specifically requested the public “not to spread false information reports,” particularly refraining from any references to a “terrorist attack.” Reports from Bild suggest the attacker may have been experiencing mental health issues or was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
This incident follows a stabbing at a Festival of Diversity in Solingen last week, where three individuals were killed and eight others were injured. Police apprehended a 26-year-old Syrian man in connection with that attack, for which Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) reportedly claimed responsibility without providing evidence.
The attack prompted German authorities to take measures against knife crime and illegal immigration. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser declared on Friday that police and regional authorities would be granted expanded powers to enforce new regulations. Berlin also reversed its ban on deportations to countries deemed “unsafe,” leading to the deportation of 28 Afghan nationals – the first such action since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The city of Siegen is celebrating its 800th birthday this weekend, and organizers expressed security concerns following the incident in Solingen. However, they decided that “not canceling the city festival is also a sign of democracy and freedom.”