Young people escalate arguments on playground: seriously injured 19-year-old!

Young people escalate arguments on playground: seriously injured 19-year-old!

On Sunday evening, June 16, 2025, there was a worrying incident on a playground in Hanover-Ricklingen, in which a 19-year-old adolescent was seriously injured by a knife stab on the thigh. According to NDR of a dispute that broke out between two groups of young people. First of all, there were verbal clashes that quickly went into a physical confrontation.

The seriously injured young person was first looked after on site and then taken to the hospital, where his condition was stable, but there was no acute danger to life, confirmed t-online . The incident raises questions about violence among young people, especially at a time when youth power in Germany has reached a maximum. In 2024, over 13,800 cases were recorded, which is more than twice as many as in 2016, as from data from Statista

background and investigation

The police immediately started investigations into dangerous bodily harm and is now trying to clarify the exact background of the dispute. Two alleged perpetrators, also 15 years old, were initially able to flee, but are known by name. The investigators hope to clarify the exact course of the incident, which may be made more difficult by prior acquaintances between the young people.

The increase in youthful violence has repeatedly led to discussions about the application of criminal law to minor perpetrators in recent years. It is debated whether tougher sanctions and a reduction in punishment are suitable means to prevent acts of violence. The psychological stress by the Corona measures also harbors risks for young people who often represent a way to crime, as the Federal Criminal Police Office states.

The situation in Hanover is therefore not just a local problem, but part of a nationwide trend that increases in young people between the ages of 14 and 17 and adolescents. Experts call for more prevention through offers of child and youth welfare to prevent criminals at an early stage and to only keep the young people from the ideas of their acts of violence.

This argument in Hanover-Ricklingen shows how urgent a social discussion about the causes and solutions of youth crime is. The hope remains that the corresponding measures and support can be made more violent in the future.