A German court on Monday sentenced a 26-year-old Syrian man to nine and a half years in prison for attacking football fans at a public screening of a European Championship match last year.
The man was convicted of attempted murder and attempted manslaughter after a knife attack on Turkish fans in Stuttgart during the Euro 2024 group-stage match between Türkiye and Czechia.
No one was killed in the incident, which took place in a crowded city center, but several people were injured, one of them critically.
According to the public prosecutor's office, the defendant, who has expressed hatred toward Türkiye, deliberately stabbed people wearing Turkish shirts, scarves, and carrying the country's flag.
His goal was to "attack as many people as possible and kill them," a judge at the Stuttgart Regional Court said.
The defendant was convicted on six counts, with prosecutors having demanded a 13-year sentence.
The defense, however, had requested eight years in prison, arguing that their client exhibited signs of psychosis.
The judgment is not yet final, meaning the convicted man can still appeal.
