Overview

• The statewide ban prohibits carrying knives and other weapons on public transport to enhance passenger safety in crowded spaces.
• Exemptions apply to emergency service personnel and individuals using knives for sport, hunting, fishing, or cultural practices.
• Municipalities are empowered to establish additional knife-free zones under specific legal conditions.
• Police data reveals a 3.2% increase in knife-related incidents last year, with over 1,300 cases reported and 80 knives confiscated in Stuttgart's ban zones.
• The measure has received support from Transport Minister Winfried Hermann but faces criticism from the AfD Landtag faction, which argues it addresses symptoms rather than root causes of knife crime.