Trial in Munich: mass attack on demo claims two lives!

Trial in Munich: mass attack on demo claims two lives!

The trial of a frightening attack on a demonstration began today in Munich. The 25-year-old Afghan, who is accused of deliberately driving his small car into a crowd of people on February 13, 2025, sat in front of the Munich Higher Regional Court. There were two deaths - a mother and her two-year-old daughter - and 44 others injured, some of them seriously. The federal prosecutor's office is accusing the defendant of two counts of murder and 44 counts of attempted murder, apparently motivated by Islamist terrorism. Radio Herford reports that ...

During the trial, the defendant protected his face behind a red folder and raised his right index finger. According to his own statement - which he made during his interrogation - his intention was to drive into the participants of the Verdi union demonstration, in which around 1,400 people took part. What is striking is that after his obviously heinous act, he exclaimed “Allahu Akbar” and then began to pray.

A long road to justice

The trial got off to a rocky start and began around 45 minutes late due to the long queues at the entrance checkpoint. Court dates are scheduled well into the summer, and the verdict could come on June 25. This is the first major trial in Germany dealing with such an attack on participants in a trade union demonstration. Tagesschau informs that…

Another shocking incident occurred not long before, when on September 6, 2024, an 18-year-old man shot at several police officers in Maxvorstadt. Although this perpetrator, Emra I., was ultimately injured and died at the scene, the incident raises questions that must be addressed in the same breath. He was identified as a possible Islamist extremist, but after extensive investigations there was no evidence of his radicalization.

Political reactions and security discussions

The political reactions to both incidents are clear. The Chancellor and the Foreign Minister have spoken out across party lines against anti-Semitism and Islamism. The Jewish Community of Munich is alarmed by the population's sense of security. Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has also announced that he will review the existing prevention concepts and security precautions in order to better protect citizens. The authorities currently see no need to tighten security measures at Oktoberfest.

For terrorism researcher Peter Neumann, the lack of European cooperation in combating extremism is a major problem. He calls for a common threat file at European level to prevent such attacks in the future. The discussion about security measures and prevention remains relevant, and the actions shed a dark light on the challenges of a changing society.