Fewer Crimes, But More Knife Attacks - Lower Saxony tightens knife laws as attacks surge despite crime drop
Lower Saxony has recorded a second consecutive drop in overall crime, with 506,634 offenses in 2025. Yet knife attacks reached a new high, rising by 4.26% to 3,185 cases. The state is now introducing stricter measures to tackle the issue, including a ban on weapons in all public transport areas.
The total number of criminal offenses in Lower Saxony fell again last year. Decriminalising cannabis contributed to this decline, with 5,572 fewer related offenses recorded. However, Interior Minister Daniela Behrens cautioned that demand for cannabis still exceeds the legal supply.
Knife attacks continued to climb, increasing by 130 incidents from 2024 to 2025. Most cases involved threats, with 1,739 recorded, while serious injuries from knives dropped by 112 to 766. Of the suspects, 87 were male. In response, the ministry expanded weapons bans in Hannover and introduced new restrictions in Braunschweig, Göttingen, Osnabrück, and Wolfsburg by early 2025. A statewide ban will now cover all public transport, including buses, trains, ferries, stations, platforms, and underpasses. Despite the rise in knife crime, Behrens remains confident. She expects Lower Saxony to rank among Germany's safest states in upcoming national comparisons.
The new weapons ban aims to curb knife attacks across public transport networks. While overall crime has fallen, the rise in threats and assaults has prompted stricter controls. Authorities will monitor whether these measures reduce incidents in the coming year.
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