Woman goes on stabbing spree on German bus

Police have warned citizens not to call the incident a “terrorist attack”

Five people were injured in a knife attack on a bus in the western German city of Siegen, exactly one week after a fatal stabbing in another western city, Solingen.

The incident occurred around 7:40 PM on a bus carrying approximately 40 passengers to a city festival. The perpetrator, identified as a 32-year-old German national, stabbed multiple individuals before she was subdued and arrested.

At least five people were injured, three of them “critically” and one “seriously,” according to authorities.

The motive for the attack remains unclear, and police specifically warned the public “not to spread false information reports," and in particular not make any reference to a "terrorist attack.” According to sources from Bild, the attacker may have been suffering from mental health issues, or under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

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This incident followed a stabbing at a Festival of Diversity in Solingen last week, where three people were killed and eight others injured. Police arrested a 26-year-old Syrian man in connection with that attack, which Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) reportedly claimed responsibility for without providing evidence.

The attack prompted German authorities to take action against knife crime and illegal immigration. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced on Friday that police and regional authorities would be granted more powers to enforce new regulations. Berlin also reversed its ban on deportations to countries deemed “unsafe,” resulting in the deportation of 28 Afghan nationals – the first such act since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

The city of Siegen is marking its 800th birthday this weekend, and organizers expressed concern about security after the incident in Solingen, but decided that “not canceling the city festival is also a sign of democracy and freedom.”