An Afghan man with suspected Islamist sympathies stood trial in Germany on Thursday, facing charges of murder and attempted murder for a stabbing attack at a political rally in Mannheim. The trial comes amid heightened discussions in Germany regarding asylum regulations and security ahead of a national election. Both the center-right and far-right have pledged stringent measures against migrant-related crimes following a series of recent violent incidents.

The defendant, known as Sulaiman A. according to prosecutors, is accused of stabbing six people, leading to the death of a 29-year-old policeman, during an assault at an anti-Islam demonstration in late May 2024. During his court appearance at the higher regional court in Stuttgart, in the state capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg, where Mannheim is situated, he shielded his face with a folder.

Following the attack, the suspect was placed in pre-trial detention on June 18 after being released from intensive care for injuries sustained during the incident.