Summary
Germany is enforcing a strict knife ban at Christmas markets as part of a new security package passed in October following a deadly knife attack in Solingen that killed three and injured eight.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser pledged “strict enforcement” and “zero tolerance,” with fines of up to €10,000 for violations.
The ban applies to knives at festivals, markets, and large events, with police ensuring compliance.
The measures aim to enhance safety at Germany’s iconic markets, which have already seen one unrelated injury this season.
Unfortunately this just amounts to symbolic politics:
- anyone seriously willing to hurt others will ignore it or find ways around it
- the general public is mildly inconvenienced by any measures to enforce/control it
It’s not like carrying knives in public was legal before, anyway
You must be confusing us with the UK or France. You can carry (concealed or otherwise) knives up to 12 cm or folder that are not designed to be openable with one hand. If you want to transport a Chef’s knife on the metro, do it in your backpack, that is, you’re not supposed to have it at hand. Some types of knives (e.g. butterflies) are right-out outlawed, you’re not allowed to have them even in your own home.
Mostly though these weapon-free zones are a way to allow police to do searches.
Thats what I meant. It was already illegal to carry a knive out in the open in a public place. It didn’t prevent the Solingen stabbing.
What these weapon-free zones allow is harassment by police against minorities and POC
It isn’t, and has not been, illegal to carry knives out in the open in a public area. You don’t usually see people running around with 12cm Fahrtenmesser but it’s completely legal. That’s blade length, to be clear, not total length. This kind of thing. Or things like an Opinel, completely legal to EDC.
And mass gatherings aren’t the same thing as a random public place.
EDCing swords was outlawed in 2008 IIRC, now it’s aforementioned 12cm max, only a single edge etc.
Is that just a ban on bringing knives or a ban on selling them as well? A ban on knife sales, during Christmas time, in a city famous for knives, seems a bit weird.
You can still buy and transport knives, they just have to be in a “locked” container. Basically just not easily accessible.
Not sure why you are getting down voted, that is literally how the law works. If you buy a knife at the market and transport it inside it’s packaging you are allowed to carry it with you
Don’t see any downvotes, but the cause for that could be Berechtigungsmissbrauch.
Just wait until they hear about pointed sticks.
Sausage bun sellers hate this
How to enforce it? Random searches, metal detectors? Seems unconstitutional.
Unconstitutional in regards to which constitution?
The German Grundgesetz.
Not really. The police can search you without cause, it’s the whole reason “Waffenverbotszonen” exist.
The declaration of a weapons-free zone makes searches legal. If you don’t want to be searched, you’re free to not enter.
If you don’t want to be searched, you’re free to not enter
Yeah, that’s all fine and dandy until you realize this also applies to train stations, which for many people that don’t own a car are not places they can avoid going to unless they want to lose their job and ability to travel
