A complete ban on knives should be possible according to a bill in many public places in Germany. The Federal Council will deal with an amendment to the weapons law next Friday.
The application comes from the federal states of Lower Saxony and Bremen. It provides for the possibility of prohibited zones where many people are present - for example in pedestrian zones, shopping centers, public transport or around kindergartens and schools.
Authorities could then have the opportunity to designate local no-weapons zones in the future. "If necessary, the use of knives of any kind should also be prohibited in these no-weapons zones." Previously, the "Saarbrücker Zeitung" reported on the paper.
"Attacks with knives or with weapons are still committed in high numbers," it says in the online view draft. "They are particularly dangerous and affect the security of the population." Therefore, "the carrying of weapons and knives should be further contained in public, especially in high traffic locations", in order to reduce the opportunity for attacks.
Fines or even imprisonment
Authorities should therefore not be allowed to issue weapons-free zones at focal points of crime, but also in places with many people. On bundesrat.de the country chamber announced that jumping knives and fixed knives with a blade length of more than six centimeters are not allowed to be carried in public anymore according to the request of the applicants. In the case of violations, they propose the confiscation of knives and fines, in jumping knifes even imprisonment.
Experts are working on a nationwide recording of attacks with blades. However, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office, implementation should take several years. Lower Saxony has been recording criminal offenses using stabbing weapons for two years now. There were therefore 3754 acts with knives last year.