In Wiesbaden, a 54-year-old man was attacked by a group of assailants using an axe and a telescopic baton. He was hospitalized with head injuries. The perpetrators attempted to flee by car but were apprehended. The investigation was hampered by crowds of onlookers. Simultaneously, in various parts of Germany during the carnival and election period, a series of disturbing incidents were recorded, including the destruction of election posters, a serious assault after a parade, and an attack on a child during a procession.
Axe Attack in Wiesbaden
A group of individuals chased and then attacked a 54-year-old man with an axe and a baton. The victim with head injuries was hospitalized. The perpetrators were detained while attempting to flee by car.
Impediments to Police Work
Wiesbaden police reported that numerous groups of passersby and onlookers hampered their intervention. Witnesses were asked to come forward.
Incidents During Carnival
In Himmelstadt, a serious assault on a 21-year-old occurred after a Fasching parade, and in Heidelberg, a suspicious group threw bottles into a crowd, injuring a two-year-old child.
Destruction of Election Posters
In Wiesbaden, two acts of vandalism on election posters occurred within a single day. In one case, three men aged 15, 24, and 27 were detained.
On Sunday night into Monday, a brutal assault occurred in Wiesbaden targeting a 54-year-old man. A group of assailants first chased him and then attacked him using an axe and a telescopic baton. The victim, with a serious, bleeding head wound, was transported to the hospital. According to a police statement, the attackers attempted to escape by car but were caught by officers. Authorities noted that the work of emergency services at the scene was significantly hampered by "numerous passersby and onlookers." Police are asking witnesses to the incident to contact the local criminal investigation department. Wiesbaden, the capital of the state of Hesse, has approximately 280,000 inhabitants and is considered one of Germany's wealthier and more peaceful cities, known primarily for its spas and historic architecture. Such attacks involving bladed weapons are extremely rare occurrences there. This was not the only criminal incident in the region in recent days. Earlier, on Sunday, February 23, two separate cases of election poster destruction were recorded in Wiesbaden. In the morning around 4:50 a.m., witnesses observed three men destroying posters near Bismarckring. Police detained the perpetrators, aged 15, 24, and 27, and initiated proceedings against them. In the evening of the same day, around 10:55 p.m., unknown perpetrators damaged more posters on Mainzer Straße, remaining at large. These events fit into the pre-election period in Germany, when acts of vandalism on campaign materials are more frequent. Simultaneously, during the carnival period, serious incidents were recorded in other parts of the country.