A young man was stabbed on Sunday evening at the entrance to the subway at Essen’s main train station, not far from the city’s Christmas market.
According to eyewitnesses cited by Bild, he was attacked from behind and suffered multiple wounds. Police confirmed that the victim is undergoing emergency surgery.
The incident occurred shortly after a large Syrian demonstration in the city center marking the anniversary of the fall of former dictator Bashar al-Assad. Organizers of the event, registered with the authorities, had been expecting around 2,500 participants, but police later estimated attendance at more than 10,000.
Fireworks were set off, banned flags were on display, and convoys of cars moved through the city, causing considerable disruption and requiring the substantial deployment of emergency personnel, including hundreds of police officers, fire services, and ambulance crews.
“Over 10,000 Syrians were mobilized in Essen in a very short time, transforming the city center into a largely lawless zone,” claimed Jochen K. Roos, an AfD state lawmaker in neighboring Hesse.
In similar celebrations last year, hundreds of Syrian men chanted “Allahu Akbar” through the German city’s streets, and gunshots were fired.
Schüsse und Allahu Akbar Rufe – so feiern Syrer in Essen. Wahnsinn.
via @chefreporterNRW pic.twitter.com/VxtQBa3qJz
— Miró (@unblogd) December 8, 2024Similar scenes were also witnessed in Berlin as thousands of Syrians gathered in Alexanderplatz on the second Sunday of Advent.
Auch in Berlin: Syrer oktroyieren den Weihnachtsmarkt am Alexanderplatz, und nutzen unsere Traditionen als Kulisse für ihre Machtspiele. Was ist bloß aus diesem Land geworden? Und keiner kann sich rausreden. Keiner. Berlin ist überall. Aufwachen! pic.twitter.com/C5LUEBT95r
— Julian Adrat (@JulianAdrat) December 7, 2025As the demonstration in Essen dispersed, the situation around the central station deteriorated. Firecrackers were thrown, scuffles broke out, and officers put on protective helmets while cordoning off surrounding streets. Amid the crowd, witnesses reported sudden screams before discovering the wounded man lying on the ground.
It remains unclear whether either the victim or any potential suspect had taken part in the demonstration. Police sealed off a wide area around the crime scene and launched a homicide investigation. Detectives began interviewing witnesses at the station, while officers checked several individuals near the scene and searched nearby bins for a weapon.
Local newspaper WAZ noted that police had earlier described the rally as “largely peaceful,” with the attack occurring shortly afterward.
Further details on the attack are expected to be provided by the public prosecutor’s office later on Monday.
