German police suspect ‘racist political motive’ behind candidate knife attack

German police said Saturday the stabbing of a prominent candidate for Sunday's mayoral election in Cologne had a "racist political" motive linked to the huge numbers of migrants entering the country.

According to AFP, Henriette Reker, who suffered serious stab wounds to the neck during the morning assault, was "responsible for taking charge of refugees" in the city, regional police head Wolfgang Albers said in a statement, suggesting it was a "political act".

Another police official also suggested the attack had a "racist motivation".

Reker was set upon by an individual wielding a knife who also attacked four other people at the scene, including a man - beleived to have been a part of Reker's campaign team - who was also seriously hurt.

Police said a 44-year-old man had been arrested at the time of the incident, which took place at a political information stand for the Christian Democrats (CDU) in the Braunsfeld district of the city.

"Focus" magazine reported that the man's act was meant at protesting the CDU's policies on refugees, according to Germany's KNA news agency.