Pepper spray attack in Karlsruhe: Twelve injured in a dispute in the supermarket!

Pepper spray attack in Karlsruhe: Twelve injured in a dispute in the supermarket!

On Saturday evening, June 14, 2025, a supermarket in the city center of Karlsruhe became the scene of a terrifying incident. A 61-year-old man used pepper spray to prevent a 20-year-old man from leaving the conflict. The result was that a total of twelve people, including children and police officers, suffered injuries. All those affected complained about irritated eyes and respiratory tract and had to be treated medically on site, while some had to be brought to a clinic, such as rbb24.de reported.

increasing trend in irritant gas inserts

A look at the numbers shows a worrying trend. As the Tagesspiegel reported, registered 589 between January 1 and April 30, 2024 Stimulus gas in Berlin, which is an increase compared to previous years. The surveys show that a total of 1774 such incidents were received in 2024. Perpetrators are mostly male and grown up.

The two incidents are particularly striking in May 2024 when a concert by the rapper Samra was overshadowed by a similar incident in the Gropius passages. 18 people were injured here when someone also used pepper spray. Doctors warn that inhaling such substances can lead to serious health problems that range from breathing difficulties to painful stimuli of the mucous membranes.

The lightness with which pepper spray can be acquired in Germany - as a "animal defense spray" also available without official approval - also represents a growing risk to the public. The new incidents in Karlsruhe and Berlin are just further examples of worrying development in dealing with irritable gas.

The public awareness of the dangers of such means must be sharpened to ensure security in our cities. It remains to be seen which measures the responsible authorities will take to stop this trend.