German court upholds individual knife bans in North Rhine-Westphalia

The Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia has ruled that individual knife bans for specific persons are legally permissible as a measure for danger prevention. The decision in Münster upheld a multi-year ban issued against a 19-year-old in Wuppertal who had a history of police incidents, including storming a football pitch and carrying a blank-firing pistol.

The ruling is considered landmark because similar bans have been issued by other authorities in the region for specific groups to prevent danger. While the decision is not yet legally binding, the court has allowed an appeal to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig.

The German Police Union (DPolG) welcomed the decision, describing it as “landmark.” The union stated that such bans are effective tools against individuals who repeatedly violate weapons laws or use knives and other dangerous objects to commit crimes.