Shocking new footage of a German stabbing attack has revealed why a cop tackled a have-a-go hero while he tried to subdue the knifeman, with Mannheim locals claiming they no longer feel safe in their city after the 'nightmare' rampage.

The 25-year-old attacker, identified by local media as Sulaiman A., went on a stabbing spree yesterday morning and knifed well-known Islam critic Michael Stuerzenberger, a police officer and several bystanders in the city centre.

In a chaotic new video from the incident, a scramble of people can be seen embroiled in a punch-up next to signs advertising an anti-Israel protest.

The group can be seen tackling each other to the ground while one man in a blue coat takes multiple swings at another person on the floor.

After throwing a series of overarm punches, at least two cops are spotted lunging towards the man donning the bright coat until he is knocked to the ground.

New footage captured the moment German cops tackled a man to the ground after mistaking him for the attacker during a horror stabbing spree in Mannheim, Germany

Cops could be seen lunging at the man and dragging him down to the floor after they spotted him swinging punches at another man on the ground

Residents in Mannheim city centre were seen visibly upset while laying flowers and lighting candles at the seen of yesterday's stabbing incident

'It is definitely scary, this is our way home. We walk past [the market square] daily and will think about what happened here and that it could happen again any day,' 22-year-old student Emilia, who came to the scene to put down a bouquet, told MailOnline

Mourners gathered to pay their respects after a knifeman went on a deadly rampage and stabbed well-known Islam critic Michael Stuerzenberger

Officers seemingly tackled the man believing he was the assailant after seeing him beating up the other individual who was already floored.

Following the horror attack, locals in Mannheim have said that they now feel unsafe following the 'nightmare' knife attack which left a police officer in a coma and several others injured.

The attack was livestreamed on YouTube and saw the knifeman being shot by officers at the scene. He has undergone surgery and remains in hospital, but has not yet been questioned by police.

But the police officer remains in a critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery for several hours for two stab wounds to the back and neck yesterday and had been put into an artificial coma, according to the State Criminal Police (LKA).

Locals in Mannheim have been left shocked by the frenzied attack and today came to the market square to lay down flowers and light candles for the victims.

'It is definitely scary, this is our way home,' 22-year-old student Emilia, who came to the scene to put down a bouquet, told MailOnline.

'We walk past [the market square] daily and will think about what happened here and that it could happen again any day.'

She saw the video of the attack around midday yesterday. 

Locals in Mannheim have been left shocked by the frenzied attack and came to the market square to lay down flowers and light candles for the victims

Leo, 21, who also brought flowers to express his sympathy for the victims, added: 'To see something like that happen in a place where we spend a lot of time ourselves and to know that could have also been a friend, my girlfriend or myself standing there, that obviously really shocked me'

Chaos broke out when the 25-year-old attacker, identified by local media as Sulaiman A, tackled a BPE member to the ground and began violently swinging a large blade at him

The bespectacled and bearded attacker is clearly seen holding a blade several inches long

'I couldn't believe what happened at first,' Emilia added. 'I couldn't believe my own eyes, I couldn't believe that something like this happened only 200 metres away from where I was.'

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Her friend Leo, 21, who also brought flowers to express his sympathy for the victims, added: 'To see something like that happen in a place where we spend a lot of time ourselves and to know that could have also been a friend, my girlfriend or myself standing there, that obviously really shocked me.'

'It really hit close to home. There was only hate and violence behind it, nothing rational, nothing human, just rage,' Leo, who moved to the city for university, said.

Emilia added about coming to the scene of the attack: 'We just wanted to honour the policeman. We hope he will get well soon and we wanted to show that we respect what he did.' 

Mannheim resident Mehmed Cantekin, 67, told MailOnline that it was 'despicable' to use a knife against people, adding: 'It's a real nightmare.'

'I'm Kurdish and from Turkey and ten years ago when it was Ramadan, you were told you couldn't do this and you couldn't do that there. Now the same thing is happening in Germany. We have to draw a line,' Mr Cantekin said.

Residents in the German city have said that they now feel unsafe following the a 'nightmare' knife attack which left a police officer in a coma and several others injured

Mannheim resident Mehmed Cantekin, 67, told MailOnline that it was 'despicable' to use a knife against people, adding: 'It's a real nightmare'

Mourners were seen leaving teddies and flowers for in memory of the deceased

One member of the public, who prefers to stay anonymous, came to the market square in Mannheim today with a home-made sign saying 'Democracy - no Islamism'

The attack was livestreamed on YouTube and saw the knifeman being shot by officers at the scene

A local spotted paying her respects following the tragic incident

He added that he believed that everyone had a right to their own opinion and one shouldn't be hurt for voicing it, even if it isn't the same as one's own. 

This was echoed by fellow Mannheim resident Roland R., 60, who was at the market square at the time of the knife attack yesterday.

'I've seen it all and the attack re-traumatised me after my work colleague was stabbed and bled out in my arms a few years ago. She was killed for leaving the "religion of peace",' he told MailOnline.

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'It feels like I'm being squeezed in a vice mentally. That's why I came here today, I need to work through all of this. It happened so fast yesterday and the police put up a cordon soon after. 

'I don't understand, how you can have so much hate through your religion,' he said, referring to reports that the attacker, who immigrated to Germany from Afghanistan in 2013, was Muslim. He added: 'Who doesn't have any arguments, grabs a knife.'

Roland said he was 'a bit scared' to share his opinion openly after Islam-critic Michael Stuerzenberger was attacked, but he continued: 'We reap what we sow. Who doesn't fight for their rights and freedoms will be a victim and will be under Sharia law.'

One member of the public, who prefers to stay anonymous, came to the market square in Mannheim today with a home-made sign saying 'Democracy - no Islamism'.

The 35-year-old told MailOnline: 'It was another attack on someone who was using his democratic right to free speech. It is bad that something like this happens and it's happening more often, especially at the hands of Islamists.

'I have experienced today how it affects a lot of people here. They want to talk about, but many are afraid. Islamistic terror is coming closer and closer and now it has arrived in Mannheim.'

Local man holding sign reading: 'Democracy not Islamism' at the scene

One mourner said: 'One should live in peace without attacking another person with a knife. Someone like that is not human to me. No one has the right to hurt others.'

The mood on the market square was sombre today as more and more visitors put down flowers and lit candles, with some signs indicating that they believe the police officer has died

There is a noticibly police presence patrolling the streets today

One sign left by a mourner read: 'Against terror'

A local man was spotted holding a candle at the scene

A sober mood in Mannheim city centre the day after knifeman went on a rampage

Johannes Hauber, 73, from Mannheim, told MailOnline the attack was 'incomprehensible', adding: 'It is difficult to put yourself in the position of the person who does something like that'

One man was seen laying white flowers at the scene of the deadly crime

'This is not normal that something like this happens. I immediately thought yesterday that it could happen to my child, to anyone. I can't understand this,' one local said

He said he had thought about whether it was a good idea to come up to Mannheim from his nearby hometown to voice his concerns about Islamism, but ultimately decided to put his trust in the police to keep him safe. 

'But I'm really scared of the future, of what is yet to come,' he added. While some people, including Muslims, came up to him and said they were sorry to hear about what happened, he said he also encountered people who looked 'as if they want to strangle' him. 

Johannes Hauber, 73, from Mannheim, told MailOnline the attack was 'incomprehensible', adding: 'It is difficult to put yourself in the position of the person who does something like that.'

But Mr Hauber, who was near the market square today to campaign for a ceasefire in Gaza, said the stabbing at the anti-Islam rally could also incite hate.

He said: 'My first thought after hearing about the attack was "I hope people react rationally and don't get aggravated".' 

A 74-year-old pensioner, who travelled to Mannheim from the neighbouring Rheinland-Pfalz state to pay her sympathies to the victims, said she had 'goosebumps' ever since she heard about the attack. 

'This is not normal that something like this happens. I immediately thought yesterday that it could happen to my child, to anyone. I can't understand this,' she told MailOnline.

'One should live in peace without attacking another person with a knife. Someone like that is not human to me. No one has the right to hurt others.' 

The aftermath of the stabbing is seen in Mannheim

The mood on the market square was sombre today as more and more visitors put down flowers and lit candles, with some signs indicating that they believe the police officer has died. 

German media reported his death yesterday, but the State Criminal Police (LKA) said in a statement this morning that the officer had been put into an artificial coma. 

This afternoon, the Christian Police Union (CPV) announced that he had died, but this has not yet been confirmed by authorities. 

'Our colleague succumbed to his serious injuries after the treacherous knife attack. We are very sad and pray for his relatives,' the CPV said in its Instagram post

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