Völklingen: Disturbing scenes are going viral: A man lies on the ground, restrained by two police officers. Three other officers, wearing protective vests like their colleagues, are securing the area. Emergency service personnel who arrived in an ambulance are standing nearby. The man lying on the ground, his shoes lying next to him, is continuously shouting “Allahu akbar” in Arabic, which translates as “God is great.” This phrase is often used by assassins and terrorists.

An eyewitness recorded the incident on his cell phone and then sent the video. The incident took place yesterday, Tuesday afternoon, around 2 p.m. in downtown Völklingen. The scene is on Hofstattstraße, directly in front of the “Ensar Market.” Although the video footage spread like wildfire on social media, the police kept the incident secret from the public, allowing the rumors to quickly escalate.

Supposed witnesses reported online that the man was walking around with a knife. Others even claimed to know that there had been a knife attack. Even a day after the incident, the authorities have not yet informed the public about the high-profile operation. Only when contacted did a spokesperson for the Völklingen Criminal Investigation Department report: “We were called to a house where a strange man was sleeping in the hallway. When the officers approached him and tried to take him to the waiting ambulance, the situation escalated. He attempted to injure the police officers with kicks and headbutts. He did not have a weapon.”

The police officers were unharmed during the operation. The cries of “Allahu akbar” are recorded in the incident report. The identity of the unknown man has not yet been determined. The investigation is ongoing. Officials currently estimate him to be in his mid-20s. The man, who is in a state of mental distress, is being housed in the SHG clinic, where he can now receive professional help.