Germany has some of the most stringent gun laws in Europe. There is no “right” to bear arms for Germans and, in fact, there is a litany of restrictions against ownership that includes background checks, mental health checks, bans on certain types of guns, licensing requirements, storage requirements and proof of necessity.
Yet none of those kept an 18-year-old from getting a gun and going on a shooting rampage in Munich that left nine dead and 36 injured. In light of that mass shooting and recent terror attacks, the head of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has come out in support of allowing Germans to defend themselves with firearms.
“Many people are increasingly unsafe,” AfD leader Frauke Petry said on Saturday. “Every law-abiding citizen should be in a position to defend themselves, their family and their friends.” Petry has also rejected calls to toughen up gun laws, saying it would only affect the law-abiding.
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