Calls for German far-right crackdown after stabbing

As German investigators probe the stabbing of a police chief in a suspected neo-Nazi attack, there have been calls for a far-right party to be banned. Alois Mannichl is known for his strong stand against extremists in the southern city of Passau. He was seriously wounded in a knife attack on his doorstep. The stabbing has shocked many in Germany and prompted calls for a crackdown on the far-right.

Bavaria’s state premier Horst Seehofer has vowed to get tough on neo-Nazi crime, saying it would be answered with rigour, consistency and determination. His comments come as the hunt continues for the knifeman. Two suspects detained after the attack were later released without charge. While Nazi symbols such as swastikas are banned in Germany, right-wing extremists are allowed to take to the streets. No link has been established between the far-right NPD and the stabbing. Nonetheless, the attack has reignited debate over the party’s right to exist.

Copyright © 2009 euronews

tags: Neo-Nazism