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| German pro-refugee mayor attacked by man with knife | German pro-refugee mayor attacked by man with knife |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A knife attacker injured the mayor of a German town in an assault that appeared to be motivated by the municipal leader’s pro-refugee stance, officials said. | |
| The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, was “horrified by the knife attack”, her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, wrote on Twitter. | The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, was “horrified by the knife attack”, her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, wrote on Twitter. |
| Andreas Hollstein, 57, the mayor of the western town of Altena, was attacked on Monday evening at a local kebab restaurant by a man who had loudly criticised his liberal refugee policy. | Andreas Hollstein, 57, the mayor of the western town of Altena, was attacked on Monday evening at a local kebab restaurant by a man who had loudly criticised his liberal refugee policy. |
| The 56-year-old attacker, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, used a 30-centimetre-long (12in) knife, reported Spiegel Online. He was arrested at the scene. | |
| The town of about 17,000 people was well known for taking in a larger share of asylum seekers than required amid the mass influx that has brought more than 1 million migrants and refugees to Germany since 2015. | The town of about 17,000 people was well known for taking in a larger share of asylum seekers than required amid the mass influx that has brought more than 1 million migrants and refugees to Germany since 2015. |
| The state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet, said security services assumed the attack was “politically motivated”. | The state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet, said security services assumed the attack was “politically motivated”. |
| Hollstein was taken to a local hospital and, after treatment, released hours later. He thanked a restaurant employee who rushed to his help and who was also injured. | Hollstein was taken to a local hospital and, after treatment, released hours later. He thanked a restaurant employee who rushed to his help and who was also injured. |
| “I had some hands-on people at my side and I’m glad that I’m still alive,” Hollstein told a local news website. | “I had some hands-on people at my side and I’m glad that I’m still alive,” Hollstein told a local news website. |
| Local media reported the attacker had asked Hollstein: “Are you the mayor?” before slashing him. | Local media reported the attacker had asked Hollstein: “Are you the mayor?” before slashing him. |
| Germany’s justice minister, Heiko Maas, tweeted that “we must never accept that people are attacked because they help others”, adding that there was no place for hate and violence in Germany. | Germany’s justice minister, Heiko Maas, tweeted that “we must never accept that people are attacked because they help others”, adding that there was no place for hate and violence in Germany. |
| The assault evoked a knife attack on Cologne’s mayor, Henriette Reker, in October 2015 by a rightwing extremist who was angered at her welcoming stance toward refugees. | The assault evoked a knife attack on Cologne’s mayor, Henriette Reker, in October 2015 by a rightwing extremist who was angered at her welcoming stance toward refugees. |