Shocking attack in Cologne: Policewoman seriously injured during operation!

Shocking attack in Cologne: Policewoman seriously injured during operation!

A shocking incident recently became public in the Cologne district of Ehrenfeld, which reignited the debate about police violence and how to deal with perpetrators. On November 15, 2024, 40-year-old Mbanbe M., a man from the Congo with a criminal record, randomly attacked passers-by and injured several people. The police were called and when the officers arrived, the perpetrator put up fierce resistance. The attack on a policewoman was particularly dramatic, as he not only pushed her to the ground but also dragged her by her hair. In a fateful moment, Mbanbe bit off a piece of her ear, which not only resulted in serious physical injuries, but also incapacitating the policewoman and causing her intense trauma. Report24 reports that the bitten ear piece was surgically sewn on, but was rejected by the officer's body.

In the subsequent trial, which ended on May 30, 2025, Mbanbe M. admitted the facts, but stated that he could not remember because he was under drugs. The Cologne regional court imposed a prison sentence of four years on him and also ordered the payment of 30,000 euros in compensation to the traumatized policewoman. Judge Necmettin Gül described the act as an “extremely serious crime” and pointed out that attacks on police officers are punished more severely under Section 114 of the Criminal Code than similar offenses against private individuals.

Focus on dealing with police violence

This incident sheds a bright light on the issue of police violence, which has now been increasingly discussed in Germany since the George Floyd case in the USA. Studies such as those from the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main show that police violence can be present not only in exceptional situations, such as major events, but also in everyday operations. Police violence is defined as the excessive use of physical force by officers, which has reached alarming proportions in Germany. The study reports that young men are primarily affected by such experiences and that stress, staff shortages and poor communication are often triggers for violent attacks. Deutschlandfunk highlights that the police culture sometimes treats violence as normal behavior, which is an ongoing problem.

The recent BGH decision on claims for pain and suffering could provide new impetus for the legal processing of police violence. Previously, only material damage was covered. A new legal right to non-pecuniary damages, such as those caused by false arrests, could help strengthen the legal status of citizens who have suffered harm as a result of police actions. The needs of the police officers should not be ignored here either: a reform in police training and better communication could help to defuse such critical situations before they escalate. Further measures to combat “esprit de corps” within the police and to improve the criminal investigation of incidents appear essential in order to strengthen trust in law enforcement officers. Haufe points out that it is important that affected citizens have the confidence to report incidents and take legal action.