Threatening emails after the mayor's message: Tragedy in Friedland shocked!

Threatening emails after the mayor's message: Tragedy in Friedland shocked!

In Friedland, a tranquil community in the Göttingen district, the tragic death of a 16-year-old Ukrainian girl has caused great consternation. According to initial findings, the teenager was pushed against a passing train a good two weeks ago. The mayor of the community, Andreas Friedrichs (SPD), commented on this terrible situation in an interview with NDR and described it as a “tragic accident”. This led to a veritable storm of indignation, as the mayor received over 100 threatening emails and letters after this statement, a circumstance that further aggravated the already tense situation. As NDR reports, Friedrichs sees the accusation of not having shown sufficient empathy as a misunderstanding. As mayor, he couldn't simply talk about murder until it was legally clarified that it happened that way.

The background to the incident is still unclear. A 31-year-old rejected asylum seeker from Iraq, who has already been convicted of exhibitionism in the past, is under strong suspicion. Interestingly, on the day of the crime, this man had been taken to a psychiatric hospital for another incident before he was transferred to the correctional system. The investigation is ongoing and the police are carrying out extensive investigations to clarify the exact circumstances of what happened.

Call for prudence

Mayor Friedrichs sees the current situation as a challenge not only for the legal framework, but also for social interaction. In his statements, he appealed to the population to avoid incitement and hatred. In an interview with Tagesschau he made it clear: “What we don’t need is hatred and agitation.” This call was joined by numerous fellow citizens who also warned against prejudice on social media. Britta Uschkurat, a pastoral councilor, emphasized that a suspicion of a crime is not a verdict and that it is important to properly wait for the legal basis.

The CDU is eager to clarify the matter in the state parliament, and a meeting of the interior committee is scheduled for Thursday. It is hoped that political decision-makers will discuss the events in a sustained manner and find solutions to prevent such incidents in the future. Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) also expressed sharp criticism of the “dysfunctional” Dublin system for refugee distribution in Europe, which may have contributed to this tragic situation as it did not allow the suspect to be deported to Lithuania in an orderly manner.

Community stands together

The community of Friedland has had an initial reception center for refugees for almost 80 years. This could result in the incident affecting not only the family of the deceased but the entire community. A resident at the facility expressed concern via WhatsApp about the impact of the incident on the community. However, the stolen future of a young woman has also led to support being organized for the family of the young person who died in the accident. The plan is to collect money for the funeral in mid-September to help the family during this difficult time.

In the midst of these difficult times, compassion and understanding are needed because every community is only as strong as its weakest link. With this in mind, people in Friedland hope for prudence and sincere cooperation in order to make the mourning for the 16-year-old Ukrainian a connecting moment for everyone.