Since the attack, the Düsseldorf Diakonie has employed a security service in its day care centers. This has proven to be a success in recent months. “We have had to call the police much less often,” says Oliver Targas, head of the counseling and social integration department at the Diakonie. The presence of the security guards alone has a positive effect. If there is a threat of conflict, the security guards can intervene and often calm the situation before violence breaks out. However, the security guards are only supposed to stay until the end of the year.
The providers of homeless assistance in Düsseldorf are now demanding municipal funding for the permanent deployment of security services in the facilities. This was stated by Jürgen Plitt, managing director of the Franzfreunde homeless assistance organization. This is how they want to guarantee the safety of all employees and visitors.
Rana Martin Bhattacharjee, head of the Office for Migration and Integration, is critical of this. “We have to see how far we want to go,” says Bhattacharjee. Ultimately, the facilities should be open houses and offer refuge to as many people as possible. Many homeless people are already not using the emergency accommodation. Uniformed security guards in the facilities could deter homeless people even more, the head of the office fears.
The Diakonie also discussed the pros and cons of such security services, says Oliver Targas. Even before the knife attack in June. From the perspective of the providers, violence in homeless shelters has steadily increased in recent years – equivalent to the development in society as a whole, says Targas. The incident was now the sad reason for implementing the plan.
Security is already part of the concept in other accommodation facilities. In the relatively new facility for homeless addicts – mainly crack addicts – on Moskauer Strasse, for example, a security service was employed from the start. There are also security guards on site in the Ariadne emergency accommodation facility for women and mothers with children. But this is still rather unusual in day care centers.
The attack in the “Horizont” was a dramatic event for the entire team, but an unprecedented isolated incident. “It was a targeted act,” says Targas. The 40-year-old man, who regularly visited the facility, had asked a member of staff for a conversation. During the conversation, he suddenly stabbed her. He suddenly attacked the other member of staff in the Café Horizont. “The attack was completely unforeseeable.”
When disputes occur in homeless shelters, they are usually of a different nature. They are usually conflicts that escalate and ultimately result in physical violence. It is precisely in such cases that security guards can have a de-escalating effect, says Targas.
The other visitors to the day care centers have also reacted positively to the security service. “Finally” – that was the reaction of many homeless people, says Targas. The Diakonie is therefore already working on being able to employ security guards in the facility next year. However, this requires funding from the city.
The two injured employees are now physically better. However, they are not yet able to work. One of the two eyewitnesses has not yet come to terms with the attack. The attacker from the “Horizon” was arrested and has been in custody since then. The charge: attempted double murder in conjunction with dangerous bodily harm. The trial against him is due to begin in two weeks.
The fact that the 40-year-old suspect was arrested so quickly is thanks to four visitors to the facility. They overpowered the attacker and held him as he tried to escape. Alexander Krüger, Holger te Loo, Asim Zeybeksoy and Daniel Potocnik were honored for their efforts in the town hall this week. “The effort was courageous and by no means to be taken for granted. They are a role model for others,” said Mayor Stephan Keller. “There are many situations in everyday life in which it is important not to look away, but to look, make quick decisions and intervene courageously.”
Alexander Krüger also spoke out in favor of stricter controls in the facility at the meeting. “That would protect us all, even if there is never 100 percent security,” said Krüger.
