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Hamborn's Altmarkt bans weapons and knives to curb violent crime

Carrying a knife or weapon in Hamborn's Altmarkt could soon cost you €10,000. Police say the crackdown targets rising violent crime—will it work?

, and Administrator

2026 April 22 . 4:08 PM

1 min read

The image shows an old black and white photo of a city street with buildings, people, carts, poles,... — The image shows an old black and white photo of a city street with buildings, people, carts, poles, trees, and a sky in the background. At the top and bottom of the image, there is text which reads "Markplatz in Nowogrodeek, Germany".

Goal Is to Sustainably Reduce Violent Crime and Effectively Curb the Carrying of Weapons and Dangerous Objects in Public Spaces

Hamborn's Altmarkt bans weapons and knives to curb violent crime

"Whether in cases of violent or property crimes, or during routine checks at Hamborn's Altmarkt—officers frequently discover weapons, including knives," said Police President Alexander Dierselhuis. "In addition to increased patrols, targeted enforcement operations, strategic surveillance, and mobile video monitoring from previous efforts, we are now taking another decisive step to dismantle the criminal structures in the area."

From now on, it will be prohibited around the clock to carry weapons or dangerous objects within the designated zone. This includes firearms, knives, batons, stun guns, pepper spray, and many others. Violations will be strictly penalized: offenders will have the items confiscated and face fines of up to €10,000.

The next step was the publication in the North Rhine-Westphalia Law and Ordinance Gazette. *https://recht.nrw.de/gvnrw/2026-s223/*

Following this, the weapon and knife restriction zone around Hamborn's Altmarkt will be clearly marked with appropriate signage and is expected to take effect in the 18th calendar week. A follow-up announcement will be released shortly.