Heated debate about consequences of the Solingen knife attack

After the knife attack in Solingen that left three dead and eight injured, the Hamburg Parliament is demanding harsh punishments. (Symbolic image) Daniel Reinhardt/dpa

After the knife attack in Solingen that left three people dead, the Hamburg Parliament wrestled with each other in a heated debate about how to deal with the alleged Islamist's actions. All members agreed that the crime must be severely punished and have consequences. However, there is disagreement in parliament about what the consequences should be. The responsible Senator for the Interior, Andy Grote (SPD), did not attend the meeting.

AfD: “Citizens have become asylum seekers in their own country”

The AfD, which had registered the topic for the current affairs debate, used the stage to underline its fundamental rejection of migration. Referring to the events in Solingen and other places, AfD parliamentary group leader Dirk Nockemann said that death had become a constant companion – and added: “We citizens have now become people seeking protection in our own country.” Nockemann accused the governing state failures and the CDU of wanting to jump on a moving train. It was the Christian Democrats who, as “gossips”, approved Chancellor Angela Merkel's (CDU) refugee policy in 2015.

A sharp counter-speech came from the Green Party's parliamentary group leader Jennifer Jasberg: “Björn Höcke is a Nazi and the AfD is a secure right-wing extremist party in Thuringia and Saxony, and Mr Nockemann is calling for an end to the firewall against them.” This must not be forgotten. Of course, an act like the one in Solingen must be punished in the strongest possible terms and Islamism condemned, said Jasberg. But: “In view of the experience that the denigration of those seeking protection leads to concrete violence, it is irresponsible how some are now using a terrible act to stir up sentiment and openly rant against the applicable laws of our constitutional state and the European Union.”

Jasberg: Don’t let yourself be driven by populist debates

They too are afraid of increasing Islamism, but they are just as afraid that it will not be possible to combat it effectively “if we allow ourselves to be driven by this kind of populist debate.” Jasberg also stressed: “Anyone who now questions the right to asylum and wants to turn people away at the border should explain how they want to do this without violence.”

People with different cultural and religious backgrounds are an important part of the diverse urban society, stressed SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Kienscherf. “But one thing is clear: we also stand for the consistent repatriation of people without a right of residence, especially criminals, and the fight against Islamism.” To this end, better control and limitation of immigration and a further strengthening of internal security are necessary nationwide and throughout the EU.

Thering: “We don’t need any more circles of chairs now”

The CDU parliamentary group leader and opposition leader Dennis Thering accused the AfD of abusing the Solingen incident for its election campaign. “That disgusts me, that is just pathetic.” At the same time, he is calling for a change in migration policy. This means, among other things, more border controls, rejections at the external borders, asylum procedures outside Europe and large-scale deportations, including to Afghanistan and Syria. “We don't need any more circles of chairs and working groups now,” said Thering. Denmark and Sweden have shown that a change is possible.

For the Left Party parliamentary group leader Cansu Özdemir, right-wing extremists and Islamists are brothers in spirit, they go hand in hand. “The neo-Nazi here in Germany would probably be the Islamist in Syria.” Both are misogynistic and anti-queer and backward-looking. “They are anti-Semitic and they always see themselves in the role of victims.” “They wanted to decide who would live and who would be killed,” said Özemir, referring to the NSU in Germany and the Islamic State in Syria. The Solingen attack must have consequences. But the answer cannot be mass deportations. “Anyone who really wants to fight Islamism must invest in prevention, must ban radical Islamist organizations like “Muslim Interaktiv” and, in terms of foreign policy, stop supplying dictatorships like Turkey and Saudi Arabia with weapons.”