Switzerland: Afghan Asylum-Seeker Beats up Pensioner on Appenzell Train

Here’s yet another Afghan success story out of Europe, this time from Switzerland. Earlier this month, a 31-year-old Afghan walked up to a 71-year-old pensioner on a train and began beating him until one passenger (and only one) intervened.

It turns out that the suspect was well-known to the local cops. Yet, he was still in the country and walking around free.

The below article from Blick (Switzerland) is translated from German by Fousesquawk.

Afghan is known to police

Attacker beats pensioner (71), on Appenzell train who is hospitalized

Out of nowhere, on a train in the Appenzell railroad in the beginning of February, a man beat up a pensioner. Except for one passenger, nobody intervened. Now it is clear: The perpetrator is known for previous violent acts. 

Posted 2-18-2025 , 22:20. Updated 2-19-2025 07:30

Caption: At the Voegelinsegg stop on February 1, a violent crime occurred.

By Janine Enderli

A man suddenly stands up and walks to the first class (compartment) of an Appenzell train and immediately strikes a pensioner. This brutal act happened in the beginning of February at the Voegelinsegg stop near Speicher (Ausserhoden). The attacked pensioner went immediately to the floor as the St Galler Tagblatt reported. 

“I needed a couple of seconds to grasp what was happening,” said witness Paul Marschke (20), to the newspaper. The 20-year-old was the only one who intervened to help the victim. All the other passengers watched without acting, as the man lay dazed on the floor.

“That disappointed me”

Marschke then helped the man get up and ensured that the violent perpetrator, who meanwhile, was by the entrance to the train, could not attack the man again.

According to the newspaper, only after several minutes of riding time, were the police notified. “That I had to stand there alone so long, disappointed me, and really made me angry,” Marschke describes.

The victim had to be taken to the hospital for examination, as the Appenzell Ausserrhoden confirmed. The perpetrator was arrested and booked.

Alleged perpetrator was known to police

On Tuesday, new details in the case were made known. The alleged thug, a 31-year-old temporarily admitted man from Afghanistan, was known to police.  He reportedly had previously drawn attention through violent acts, the St Gallen Tagblatt reports. Nevertheless, he was walking around free.

The exact course of events is, at this point, the object of the investigation. In addition, there is as yet no reliable information as to the motive of the alleged thug. The Cantonal Police of Appenzell confirm to the newspaper that the alleged perpetrator has kept the police officers busy for a long time. “Over the course of the last year and a half, the Cantonal Police of Appenzell Ausserrhoden have dealt with the alleged perpetrator a good half a dozen times.  It dealt with harassment up to attempted bodily injury,” the Tagblatt quoted the police. 

The possibilities of the police are limited

 Why is it that the alleged perpetrator was walking around free? The police explain in the report that some arrested persons must be released the next day. That is “stressful and frustrating”. Alleged perpetrators can only be taken into custody for 24 hours. Anything beyond that is decided by the public prosecutor.

The Cantonal public prosecutor is giving no further information in response to the newspaper due to the ongoing investigation. The question of whether the incident will have an influence on the resident status of the alleged perpetrator also remained unanswered.

Source: http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2025/02/switzerland-afghan-asylum-seeker-beats.html