Year after car attack, Magdeburg's Christmas market to open this week

"The German city of Magdeburg will have a Christmas market this year, local authorities announced Tuesday, despite safety fears following a deadly car-ramming attack at last year's event. The attack on December 20th, 2024 killed six people and wounded more than 300, shocking the country. Magdeburg city authorities initially refused permission for this year's market, saying the planned security measures were insufficient."

"She said all involved had made "tremendous efforts" to ensure the market could go ahead, and thanked organisers and stallholders, "who have shown a lot of patience and understanding in recent days". Saudi national Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, 51, is currently on trial over last year's attack. Abdulmohsen -- a critic of Islam and an adherent of far-right views and radical conspiracy theories -- faces life in prison if convicted."

"On Tuesday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the federal government is "making every effort to reach common standards" for the safety of markets across the country, which would otherwise be the responsibility of local authorities. A few cities have even cancelled the beloved winter tradition because of the cost of security measures. Germany's federal police told AFP on Tuesday they had "no information or indications pointing to a concrete threat" to Christmas markets."

Magdeburg's Christmas market will open after local authorities and police agreed on extra security steps following a December 20, 2024 car-ramming attack that killed six and wounded more than 300. Organisers and stallholders faced uncertainty after city authorities initially refused permission because planned measures were judged insufficient. A Saudi national, Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, is on trial and faces life imprisonment if convicted. The attack revived debate about the safety of festive markets and increased pressure to establish common security standards. Some cities have cancelled markets due to the high cost of security, while federal authorities report no concrete threat.

Read at The Local Germany