Berlin’s “solution” to its ongoing knife violence epidemic is as absurd as it is infuriating. Interior Senator Iris Spranger, from the left-wing Social Democratic Party of Germany, and her so-called experts have unveiled their brilliant new idea: revoke the driving licenses of repeat knife attackers. But wait—only after six attacks in 24 months. That’s right: stab your way through the city half a dozen times, and you’ll finally lose your right to drive a car legally.
The justification? According to Paragraphs 69 and 69a of the Road Traffic Act, individuals with a “high propensity for violence” are deemed unfit to operate a motor vehicle. The experts believe this will hit offenders “hard.” Apparently, after failing to stop the bleeding—literally and figuratively—this is Berlin’s sharpest policy tool.
A Bureaucratic Farce
The absurdity doesn’t stop there. Implementing this measure requires setting up a special “knife coordination office” at the State Criminal Police Office. This new bureaucracy will collect and transmit data on knife attackers to the State Office for Citizens and Regulatory Affairs (LABO), the body responsible for revoking licenses. Starting in 2025, repeat offenders could theoretically lose their licenses.
How many offenders currently meet these criteria? Eleven. Yes, an entire “coordination office” is being established to deal with eleven individuals. The cost and manpower required to address this glaringly ineffective strategy is anyone’s guess.
A Band-Aid on a Bullet Wound
This policy is laughably disconnected from reality. Most knife offenders aren’t deterred by weapons bans, restraining orders, or court rulings—why would losing their driving privileges stop them? Many don’t even have licenses or legally owned vehicles, yet they manage to cruise around in luxury cars while officially living off welfare. […]
— Read More: rairfoundation.com
