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.
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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.
The question is: why would anyone carry a knife in the first place? I can’t think of any reason. Personally, such law wouldn’t have any impact on me, because I don’t carry a knife with me. I can see the intention with such law, and it probably might help to percieve a more secure enviroment.
If someone wanted to do some stabbing inside a party district, such law wouldn’t stop them - unless one has to pass through a security checkpoint (which to my knowledge are not a thing).
I’ve carried a knife in my pocket everyday for the past 35 years or so. It’s a useful tool both for actual work and mundane tasks like opening boxes/etc.
A few weeks ago I was hiking near a lake and found a bird entangled in fishing line. It would’ve been very difficult to free it without some type of blade. Hell, it took almost 15 minutes even with the knife because it was so wrapped up and distressed.
Also, butterfly knives are for carrying around in your pocket and then taking out to flip around in case you think it might impress someone.
Fair enough, I didn’t think of that. What you described is the intended use for pocket knives, MacGyver style.
What I thought of when writing my comment were kind of hunting knives. No one needs that inside an urban environment.
Ah yeah, that makes sense. There’s a big difference between a 7cm folding pocket knife and a 20cm fixed blade rambo-esque hunting knife… And I can’t think of any reason to carry the latter around in a city : )
Now I’m picturing you in a reversed version of the famous Crocodile Dundee scene with him brandishing his huge knife and you going “that’s not a tool. THIS is a tool!” as you get out your pocket knife 😁
https://youtu.be/YAD0a6wWFrI?si=9Wrqg5fOmZD9eA7j
I can imagine some situations. I was at a party when we were cooking and the knives were shit. Went home and brought back over an 8 inch chef’s knife.
I did not have the original packaging to carry it. My cardboard and tape sheath would not have met the letter of this law
This would be the use case, where you would break the law, when entering such restriction zone. Unless, of course, your skin tone has the right shade, as police unfortunately does things like racial profiling. If pale, you were on your way to a cooking party - if darker-skinned, you luckily were caught in the act!
Unfortunately, it probably would go like that. The snippet above just said “in public” so I assumed that would include just down the street
nah. dont think so. if groups of people meet it can get heated and the less likely someone has a knife or screwdriver the better. sure, any time any one can commit any crime with whatever. but lowering the chances of getting stabbed is always a good idea.