Bülent Ceylan found himself at the place in his hometown of Mannheim where a police officer was fatally injured last week.
“I am a very religious person. I believe in God and I attach great importance to charity. You should always attach importance to that, regardless of whether you have a faith or not.” These foundations in the life of comedian Bülent Ceylan (48), which he defined in an interview with the news agency spot on news in autumn 2023, have now been deeply shaken in his hometown of Mannheim, of all places.
On June 2nd, the 29-year-old police officer who had been attacked by a man with a knife on the Mannheim market square the previous Friday succumbed to his serious injuries. Ceylan has since visited the scene of the cruel act and remembered the officer. He describes his impressions from there: “The atmosphere was oppressive, but the memories of this brave man who sacrificed his life for our safety were omnipresent.”
Exclusion can never be the solution
For decades, Ceylan has been committed to political and social issues alongside his career as a comedian, fighting as an ambassador for various projects for more tolerance and against racism. The crime in the city where he was born on January 4, 1976, the son of a German mother and a Turkish father, showed him in a depressing way how much work still needs to be done: “This terrible incident shows us how fragile peace and security can be.”
The most important reaction of society must now be that “we stand together for peace and togetherness. Hatred, fanaticism and incitement – no matter where they come from – must have no place in our midst.” The background: The act, which was probably motivated by Islamism, was soon exploited to pursue politics against people with a migration background.
To finally “create an environment [zu] Ceylan’s urgent appeal: “Let us fight together for a society in which respect and humanity come first.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
