Around a week after the knife attack at an event organized by the anti-Islam movement Pax Europa in Mannheim, the organization held a rally in Dortmund under heavy police protection. “We are on site with a strong contingent,” said a police spokesman on Saturday. In addition to uniformed police officers, plainclothes officers are also on duty.
The spokesman did not want to say exactly how many police officers were involved for tactical reasons. The gathering was cordoned off with two rows of fences, with police officers standing between them for additional protection. The access to the cordoned off area was also being controlled, the spokesman explained.
“This is a special precautionary measure based on the risk assessment. The incidents in Mannheim are of course included in such an assessment, and security measures have been increased accordingly,” said the police spokesman. There were isolated verbal arguments with listeners, which are normal at such rallies, but overall it was “very quiet.”
Pax Europa said it had registered the rally for 30 to 40 people. “We are well protected by the police and double barriers. Everything is peaceful,” Pax Europa treasurer Stefanie Kizina told dpa. She had already explained in advance that the organization did not plan to have its own security service.
Board member Michael Stürzenberger, who was injured in the attack in Mannheim, was not there on Saturday. “It will take some time before he is back. He needs to recover first,” said Kizina. Cancelling the rally because of the incidents was out of the question and would have sent “a completely wrong signal.”
Last Friday, a 25-year-old Afghan injured five participants at a rally of the anti-Islam movement Pax Europa in Mannheim as well as a police officer with a knife. The 29-year-old officer later died of his injuries. The attacker was shot by a police officer during the attack. He underwent surgery due to his injuries and has not been able to be questioned in recent days.