German politicians are living in fear in the wake of an alarming increase in violent, brazen physical attacks. 

According to CNN, the latest German politician to be attacked was Berlin Senator for Economy Franziska Giffey. She was reportedly attacked while visiting a library on Tuesday, according to reports.

The Berlin prosecutor’s office confirmed the attack on Giffey, noting that she was struck in the head with a bag full of a hard material.

The perpetrator has already been arrested by German police, and not surprisingly, he has a history of committing crimes.

What's going on?

Giffey, who was attacked at a library within her own district, released a short statement on Instagram describing the brazen and scary assault.

"I suddenly felt a hard blow to my head and neck from behind. A man had attacked me with a bag filled with hard contents," she wrote. Giffey added that she "never would have thought" that she'd be attacked in such a setting.

On 7 May, Franziska Giffey, a prominent Berlin politician who currently serves as the city’s top economic official and previously served as the city’s mayor and a federal minister, was attacked while attending an event in a library. https://t.co/iq1OqFR2i2

— Security Management (@SecMgmtMag) May 9, 2024

CNN noted:

The alleged perpetrator has been identified as a 74-year-old male, according to the prosecutor’s office, which added that he has been previously charged with state security and hate crime and there are indications he is mentally ill.

"The 74-year-old man has previously been charged by the police with state security and hate crime. However, investigations into the accused’s motive for yesterday’s attack are still ongoing,” a statement from German authorities said.

It added, "The accused is to be brought before an investigating judge today. As there are indications that the accused is mentally ill, the Berlin public prosecutor’s office is to obtain an order to place him in a psychiatric hospital in accordance with Section 126a of the Code of Criminal Procedure."

Not the first

The attack on Giffey came just days after a member "of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the European Parliament was attacked and seriously injured in Dresden, eastern Germany."

According to authorities, a female Green Party candidate in Germany was attacked while putting up posters on the same day Giffey was attacked.

There were increased calls for extra protection for German politicians across social media.

As the country's election process nears, many fear that such attacks will likely increase.