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Far-right activist and others hurt in stabbing in Mannheim

Police in Mannheim, Germany
Police in Mannheim, Germany Copyright  Associated Press
Copyright Associated Press
By Eloise Hardy with AP
Published on Updated
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Police say several people, including a far-right anti-Islam activist, were injured in the incident.

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An assailant with a knife attacked and wounded several people in a central square in the southwestern German city of Mannheim on Friday, police said.

Officers shot at the attacker, who was also injured.

Euronews understands that German far-right activist and anti-Islam critic Michael Stürzenberger was injured in the attack while taking part in a Citizens' Movement Pax Europa (BPE) party rally, of which Stürzenberger is a member.

While BPE self-describes as "neutral", it has become known in radical circles for its vocal opposition to Islam and Muslims in Germany, including demands for a ban on mosques.

The Bavarian branch of BPE and Stürzenberger have been previously linked to Pegida, a xenophobic extreme-right group with a strong neo-Nazi following, prompting an investigation by the German federal state's Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

A police officer is also among the injured.

The incident took place shortly after 11:30 am. Authorities have confirmed there is no continued danger to the public.

The motive for the crime is currently unclear and is subject to investigation. Rescue workers are on duty and have cordoned off the square, authorities saidd.

The Marktplatz, or Market Square — where the stabbing took place — is located in the historic city centre.

A city of 300,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the cultural and economic centre of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region in the north of Baden-Württemberg.

Our journalists are working on this story and will bring you more as it develops.

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