Magdeburg attack prompts Germany to bolster market security
In response to the Friday attack in Magdeburg, German authorities have decided to increase the number of officers at Christmas markets. This information was reported by the rbb24 portal, citing Berlin Senator for Internal Affairs, Iris Spranger.
On Saturday morning, it was still not clear which of the Berlin and Brandenburg markets would be closed or operate with limited hours, all due to the events in Magdeburg. At least five people were killed in the attack.
DPA reports that other German federal states are also tightening security measures at their markets. In Bavaria and Hamburg, police presence has been increased, and in Thuringia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is discussing possible security improvements with market organizers. Leipzig also plans to increase the number of officers.
The German security service is intensively working on increasing patrols and strictly controlling visitors to the Christmas markets. Additional measures have been taken in the context of growing threats to ensure the peacefulness of holiday celebrations. Many German markets are already using concrete barriers to prevent potential attackers from driving into pedestrians.
Attack at the Magdeburg market eight years after the tragedy in Berlin
The Friday attack in Saxony-Anhalt took place almost exactly eight years after the tragic terrorist attack on the Christmas market in Berlin. On December 19, 2016, a terrorist drove a truck into a crowd at Breitscheidplatz, near the Memorial Church, killing 13 people and injuring over 70.
Hours earlier, the police released a Pakistani man arrested right after the attack, stating that there was no evidence that he was behind the wheel when the truck plowed into people. The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
