Attack on Mayoral Candidate Henriette Reker: Open Season on German Politicians and Journalists

I just learned that Henriette Reker, candidate for mayor of Cologne, was stabbed and critically wounded while campaigning in downtown Cologne.  The attacker is said to be a 44-year old man who was unhappy with Chancellor Angela Merkel's policies concerning refugees from the Middle East.  He apparently shouted ""Merkel, Reker, Flüchtlingsschwemme," as he attacked Frau Reker with a machete.  He later told the police: " "Ich musste es tun. Ich schütze euch alle" ("I had to do it. I'm protecting all of you.").

This is very sad – the election in Cologne was to be held tomorrow.  People ask: how can this happen in Germany?  The "Pegida-virus" has been spreading west from Saxony to the Rhine. 

Here is the scene from Dresden just this week:

A growing segment of the German population is unnerved by the influx of foreigners – Fremden – into the country, and are looking around for scapegoats to blame: political leaders, journalists, the CIA, Jews, etc.  Things will only get uglier….

My thoughts and prayers are with Henriette Reker and the other members of her entourage who were stabbed.

One tiny bit of consolation: at least the neo-Nazi attacker did not have a Glock – as he no doubt would have, if it had happened in the US.