Following an incident in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday, December 20, 2024, emergency personnel operate in a cordoned-off area next to a Christmas Market. (Photo by Ibrahim Noroozi for AP)
Germany’s Magdeburg At least two people were killed and at least 60 others were injured after a car crashed into a crowded outdoor Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday. Authorities suspect the incident was an attack.
At around 7 p.m., when the market was bustling with Christmas shoppers anticipating the weekend, the car crashed into it, and the driver was taken into custody shortly after.
According to Tamara Zieschang, the state of Saxony-Anhalt’s interior minister, the suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi physician who immigrated to Germany in 2006. According to her, he has been a doctor at Bernburg, which is roughly 23 miles south of Magdeburg.
As of right now, he is the only one responsible, therefore as far as we know, the city is not in any more danger, Saxony-Anhalt Governor Reiner Haseloff told reporters.
According to the city government’s website and government officials, 15 of the injured had extremely serious injuries.
Haseloff stated that he could not rule out other deaths, but that the two confirmed deaths were an adult and a toddler.
However, that is now conjecture. According to him, every human life lost as a result of this act is a horrible tragedy and one life too many.
An Islamic fanatic drove a vehicle into a packed Christmas market in Berlin, killing 13 people and injuring numerous more eight years before to the suspected attack in Magdeburg, a city of about 240,000 people west of Berlin, the seat of Saxony-Anhalt. Days later, the assailant was killed in a gunfight in Italy.
As an annual holiday custom that has been loved since the Middle Ages and successfully transferred to most of the Western world, Christmas markets play a significant role in German culture. The scents of bratwurst, roasted almonds, and mulled wine filled the capital when more than 100 markets opened in Berlin alone late last month. There are numerous such markets throughout the nation.
Late last month, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that while there were no specific signs that Christmas markets were in risk this year, it was still advisable to exercise caution.
Hours after the alleged attack on Friday, the market’s Christmas decorations, including stars and green garlands, clashed with the sirens.
The assault had an impact outside of Magdeburg. Jan-Christian Dreesen, the CEO of Bayern Munich, encouraged supporters at the team’s stadium to observe a minute of silence following Friday night’s soccer match between Bayern Munich and Leipzig.
Dorin Steffen, a resident of Magdeburg, told the German news agency dpa that she heard the sirens while attending a concert at a neighboring church. You had to presume that something horrible had occurred because the clamor was so loud.
She referred to the incident as the city’s “dark day.”
“We are trembling,” Steffen remarked. In addition to feeling sorry for the family, we also wish that our friends, acquaintances, and family are safe.
Flags in Saxony-Anhalt will be lowered to half-staff, and the federal government will follow suit, Haseloff said, calling it a disaster for the city, state, and nation.
According to the governor, it is truly among the worst things that may happen, especially when considering what a Christmas market ought to offer.
On X, Chancellor OIaf Scholz wrote: I’m thinking of the victims and their families. We stand with them and the Magdeburg residents.
Officials intend to set up a memorial at the city’s cathedral on Saturday, according to Magdeburg Mayor Simone Borris, who was on the edge of tears.
_
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!