Düsseldorf: Police apparently find knives in the backpack of a visitor to the state parliament

12/1/2023, 6:08:35 PM

Highlights: Knife with a 15.5-centimeter-long blade was found in the backpack of a registered visitor at the entrance gate. The police seized the knife and wrote a complaint. The man apparently belonged to the group of visitors of an AfD member of parliament. The visitor was sent home by the state parliament. According to reports, the man claimed that he had forgotten the knife in his backpack and had not intentionally brought it with him. The state parliament condemned in the strongest possible terms that the visitor wanted to bring a weapon to Parliament.

In Düsseldorf, the police are investigating a weapons offense. A man is said to have brought a knife to the state parliament there. He apparently belonged to the group of visitors of an AfD member of parliament.

Enlarge image

State Parliament in Düsseldorf (symbolic image)

Photo: Friso Gentsch / dpa

Security alarm on the sidelines of the plenary day in the Düsseldorf state parliament: On Friday morning, according to information from the dpa news agency, a knife with a 15.5-centimeter-long blade was found in the backpack of a registered visitor at the entrance gate. The police seized the knife and wrote a complaint. A police spokeswoman confirmed the operation at the request of the dpa.

A spokesman for the parliamentary group also confirmed that the man belonged to a group of visitors belonging to AfD MP Christian Loose. According to the spokesman, the man is not an AfD member. It was condemned in the strongest possible terms that the visitor wanted to bring a weapon with him to Parliament. The reaction of the state parliament and the police was absolutely right.

According to dpa information, the man wanted to participate with his group as a spectator at the plenary session. According to reports, the man claimed that he had forgotten the knife in his backpack and had not intentionally brought it with him. It had been noticed at the security gate of the state parliament during the x-ray of the visitors' luggage.

The private security service called the police at 8:44 a.m. According to the spokeswoman, they are now investigating a weapons offense. The visitor was sent home by the state parliament.

ani/dpa