Sahra Wagenknecht, a well-known German politician, was attacked with red paint while giving a speech at a rally in Erfurt on Thursday. Wagenknecht, who recently split from her old party to form a new one called the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, was speaking out against Germany’s support for Ukraine when the incident happened.
The attacker, a man in his early 50s, dashed onto the stage and splashed red paint on Wagenknecht and the podium. It looked like he used a medical syringe to carry out the attack. Despite the chaos, Wagenknecht was not seriously hurt—she just had some red paint on her head, neck, and upper body.
Security quickly subdued the man, pinning him to the ground and handcuffing him. Police are now investigating him for causing damage to property. While it’s not completely clear why he attacked, there are hints it might be related to Wagenknecht’s criticism of Germany’s role in the Ukraine conflict. Witnesses reported that the attacker was shouting in what might have been Ukrainian or Russian.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Wagenknecht said she was shocked but unharmed. She vowed not to be intimidated by the attack, stating, “But don’t worry: we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated!”
This attack adds to Wagenknecht’s history of controversy. Earlier this year, she faced a similar situation when someone threw a cake at her over her views on immigration. Wagenknecht, who is critical of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s policies, believes that continuing to support Ukraine could lead to a bigger European conflict. She argues that the only way to end the war is through peace talks, not more weapons.
Despite the incident, Wagenknecht returned to the stage after a brief break, showing her determination to continue her political fight.
