this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2024

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133

Germany getting tough on knife crime (www.dw.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

66 comments fedilink hide all child comments

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to further restrict the carrying of knives in public, to combat a perceived rise in knife crime. The opposition has criticized the plan as impractical.

The German government has promised tougher knife laws after the police reported a rise in the number of stabbings, especially near train stations — though the statistics remain controversial.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has called for the law to be changed so that only blades of 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) would be allowed to be carried in public, rather than the current 12 centimeters. An exception would be made for household knives in their original packaging. Switchblades would be banned altogether.

…

The government pronouncement came after police statistics recorded a 5.6% year-on-year rise in cases of serious bodily harm involving a knife, with 8,951 incidents in 2023. The federal police, which is responsible for safety at Germany's airports and major railway stations, also reported a significant increase in knife attacks in and around stations, with 430 in the first six months of this year.

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[–] nicerdicer 48 points 3 weeks ago (10 children)

This is a futile attempt to establish safety, and it is done so that it can be claimed that something has been done.

If some person has the intention to do any harm to others, this person would not be stopped by any restriction to carry any weapon.

The real issues lay much deeper: A growing number of refugees and asylum seekers that want to work, but are prohibited to do so, but at the same time these are competing in an already tight housing market. Raising costs of living, growing inequality, growing envy and a part of the population which is on the brink of shiftig into a nazi movement, with a growing resentment to foreign people. It takes more than putting up a sign that says that weapons are forbidden beyond this point to solve these problems.

Also, in Germany there is no reason ever to walk around with waepons. Compared to other parts of the world it is pretty safe here.

Putting up a sign that states that weapon are forbidden would have the same impact as putting up a sign that forbids wild fires in the forest or flooding near a body of water.

[–] brrt@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I don’t understand. No law prevents anyone from doing what’s forbidden. Are you saying all laws are futile? Otherwise what is different with this law that makes it futile?

Also, we usually can do many things at once or in succession. We can raise prices on sugary food, start programs to inform the public about the impact sugar has on health, make school lunches more healthy etc. Would you complain that it is futile raising prices if it was the first thing proposed or would you say “Good, let’s do this and also the other things.”?

[–] nicerdicer 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Are you saying all laws are futile? Otherwise what is different with this law that makes it futile?

I do not say that all laws are futile. The difference with this particular measurement is that it is odd to me, that a no-weapon zone is being established, as it is quite unusual that Germans carry around weapons in general. At least not where I live. People carrying around weapons of any kind is just not a thing here.

There are other laws, speed restrictions for instance. I get that there is a necessity to enforce such thing, as people have cars and tend to drive faster than they should. Speeding with a car is more common than carrying a weapon. That's why this law makes sense, as it adresses the issue right there. Speeding doesn't have an underlying issue that causes drivers to speed.

The thing what makes it futile in my opinion is that a restriction in carrying weapons does not solve the underlying issues (the root causes of socio-economic inequality, among others) that probably lead to harming others with knives. It's just treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

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[–] killingspark 5 points 3 weeks ago

The problem with this specific law is that it isn't practically enforceable. You'd need to regularly search people entering this zone, which we will certainly not do.

Law's only matter if you can expect them to be enforced. Raising prices is easily enforced (because it would be done via taxes which are checked for correctness already).

[–] HelixDab2@lemm.ee 1 points 3 weeks ago

Laws will persuade people that care about the risks of their actions to not take certain actions. If you know that there's heavy speeding enforcement in an area, and you can't afford a ticket, you are less likely to speed. Likewise, if you worry about going to prison for a few years, then laws prohibiting the carrying of weapons is likely to persuade you not to unless you feel like your life would be in more danger if you were unarmed. People that don't care if they go to prison are unlikely to be persuaded by laws prohibiting their criminal behavior.

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 8 points 3 weeks ago (21 children)

Yeah. You ban knives, people will switch to axes, machetes, bats, pipes, chains, brass knuckles, and so on. I've been saying this for a long time about the US as well. You can ban guns in the US and you'll just end up with knife crime like this. You need to actually address the root causes of socioeconomic inequality that actually drives crime (and lack of mental health care too).

[–] johannesvanderwhales@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

I think I'd take knife crime over mass shootings.

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[–] yournamehere@lemm.ee 1 points 3 weeks ago (12 children)

in denmark that law worked wonders and was later expanded so you are not allowed to have a screw driver on you if you are not needing it for some work. so at party disctricts or railstations no one can have stuff that can be used for stabbing.

whats the worst this law can do? a few less assholes with weapons.

[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 2 points 3 weeks ago

Japan has very similar laws under the sword and firearms act that prevents most knives and some other "dangerous" objects from being carried without cause and even then there are typically rules about how it must be transported/stored when in public (such as the train). It seems to mostly work here. Usually, the ones who do attack others are those whom were failed by the healthcare system here (specifically, the way Japan (often fails) to deal with mental health issues).

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[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

My state (US) finally just got rid of the law against switch blades/automatics. Mainly because it became a defunct/useless law that was made back when other knives were hard to open or took two hands to open. But in today's world of flippers and spydercos and spring assist and all of those that are every bit as quick and easy to open, banning an otf or switch blade just didn't make any sense.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

It was also from back in the "juvenile delinquency" horror of the 1950s when they decided that switchblades were for delinquents to have knife fights with after reading those evil comic books.

[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Wait… you have laws against knifes and assault rifles at walmart?

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[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

Germany, cutting down on knife crime.

[–] calabast@lemm.ee 12 points 3 weeks ago

The only thing that will stop knife crime is more good people with knives!

[–] SomeGuy69@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Fucking idiot Faeser again. She's a walking faux pa, a walking traffic accident. She does so much shit every day, that just reading her name makes me puke a little. If her bullshit wouldn't have so big consequence one could just ignore this dumb cow. The day she gets kicked out of every political position I'll party.

And yes I'm aware of what I said is rude and I look like an idiot too, but she is one of the few except where I feel no holding back.