Europe

Cologne mayor candidate stabbed and severely injured - police

Henriette Reker and an aide attacked by a 44-year-old man at an information stand for the CDU

Police officers stand guard near the crime scene of a knife attack in Cologne on Saturday. Mayoral candidate for Cologne Henriette Reker was injured in a knife attack the day before the election. Photograph: Frederico Gambarini/EPA
Police officers stand guard near the crime scene of a knife attack in Cologne on Saturday. Mayoral candidate for Cologne Henriette Reker was injured in a knife attack the day before the election. Photograph: Frederico Gambarini/EPA
Sat Oct 17 2015 - 13:46

A independent candidate running for mayor of the German city of Cologne was stabbed in the neck and severely wounded on Saturday while she was campaigning in the city, police said.

Henriette Reker and an aide were both severely injured by the attacker, a 44-year-old man, police said. Three other people who came to their aid were also injured, though not severely.

Police said the attacker stabbed Ms Reker and her aide at around 9.00am local time at an information stand for the Christian Democrats (CDU), Chancellor Angela Merkel's party. The other three people were injured immediately afterwards.

File photograph of Henriette Reker talking to people on Friday on the election trail in Cologne. Photograph: Oliver Berg/dpa via AP
File photograph of Henriette Reker talking to people on Friday on the election trail in Cologne. Photograph: Oliver Berg/dpa via AP

Eyewitnesses said the attacker went straight for Ms Reker.

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“She had arrived here just a few minutes before and was handing out roses. She was talking to two other party members when it happened,” Bernd Petelkau, a local CDU official, said.

ms Reker is running as an independent but is supported by the CDU, the Free Democrats and the Greens.

Cologne is due to hold elections for mayor on Sunday.

Reuters