Overview

• A fatal knife attack on the U12 line on April 12, involving a 43-year-old Syrian man and a 29-year-old German, has accelerated discussions on expanding knife bans in Berlin.
• Interior Senator Iris Spranger announced plans for a weapons and knife ban covering all public transport, including trains, buses, trams, and ferries.
• The proposed ordinance aims to simplify enforcement, expand police powers for random checks, and enhance public safety across the transport network.
• The Gewerkschaft der Polizei (GdP) and CDU Fraktionschef Dirk Stettner have voiced strong support, calling for federal legal adjustments to enable broader implementation.
• Berlin currently enforces knife bans in three hotspot zones, but the new measure would extend these restrictions citywide across public transport.