26. August 2024 | BAG RelEx

Press Release | Reaction to the Attack in Solingen

On Friday evening, during the celebration of the 650th anniversary of the city of Solingen in North Rhine-Westphalia, three people were killed, and several others were seriously injured. “We are deeply shocked by the attack in Solingen. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends, as well as the survivors. We wish the injured a swift and full recovery and would like to express our gratitude to the emergency services,” commented Rüdiger José Hamm, Co-Managing Director of BAG RelEx, in response to the initial developments.

On Saturday evening, the so-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack, and a suspected perpetrator turned himself in to the police. According to current media reports and the assessment of terrorism researcher Prof. Peter R. Neumann, the IS statement references the ongoing military conflict between Hamas and Israel. “We have been observing for some time that the recent escalation in the Middle East conflict and the war are acting as catalysts for various developments: antisemitism, racism, and radicalization,” said Jamuna Oehlmann, referring to insights gained from Germany’s prevention landscape.

“With regard to the suspected perpetrator, we must now wait for the investigation results,” Hamm stated. “Especially in these difficult times, it is crucial for us as a society to counteract the division that extremists from different backgrounds seek to exploit. Both Islamist and right-wing extremism thrive on polarization, division, and hatred. We must not succumb to this by accepting their simplistic narratives.” Hamm also alluded to the instrumentalization of the Solingen attack within far-right circles.

“It is essential to take a strong stand for democratic coexistence. To do so, we must understand why individuals radicalize and intervene at the right points,” Oehlmann emphasized. “In particular, we should pay greater attention to social media and significantly expand prevention efforts in the digital space.”

BAG RelEx, August 26, 2024

For inquiries:
Charlotte Leikert
Advisor and Public Relations
Tel: +49 30 921 26 289

Mail: charlotte.leikert@bag-relex.de