Magdeburg attack

Christmas between mourning and “deportation” slogans

(Bild: AP/Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Flowers, candles, cuddly toys: After the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market that left five people dead and up to 235 injured, there is no end to the grief and sympathy in the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt. Citizens laid flowers at the central memorial site at St. John's Church on Christmas Eve, many with tears in their eyes.

Mourners also expressed their sympathy with flowers and candles at the neighboring Alter Markt, which is now part of the closed Christmas market. "I couldn't come here at first because it shocked me too much," a pensioner told the German Press Agency. "But I wanted to be here today. After all, it's Christmas."

In his Christmas address, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for solidarity. "Hate and violence must not have the last word. Let us not allow ourselves to be driven apart. Let us stand together," Steinmeier said in the speech, which was published in advance. Many people's hearts will be heavy this Christmas. Many will be agitated and unsettled, perhaps even afraid. "All these feelings are understandable. But they must not dominate us and they must not paralyze us."

Magdeburg Theater wants to commemorate the victims with a concert on Boxing Day. 200 free tickets are to be handed out to those affected, relatives of the victims, rescue workers and first responders.

The perpetrator, Taleb A., who is now in custody, drove a car through the Christmas market on Friday evening. Investigations into the motivation of the doctor, who comes from Saudi Arabia and arrived in Germany in 2006, are ongoing. Recently, he has become increasingly confused and radical on social media. In a recent interview, the 50-year-old revealed himself to be a fan of X-owner Elon Musk and the AfD, which pursues the same goals as him - but described himself as politically left-wing.

Authorities in several federal states had to deal with Taleb A.
Police officers continued their crime scene work on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the Magdeburg police station said officers from the state police were on the scene to carry out "documentary work" as part of the investigation.

The German Federal Criminal Police Office and the Ministry of the Interior apparently want to present a case chronology on the perpetrator before the end of the year. The aim is to compile which authorities had what information about Taleb A. at what time and how this was followed up. Authorities in at least six federal states are said to have had dealings with him.

(Bild: AFP or licensors)

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Greens identify "overall lack of knowledge"
Konstantin von Notz, deputy leader of the Green parliamentary group, criticized in the Rheinische Post newspaper: "Once again, there appears to have been an overall lack of knowledge about the perpetrator and the threat he posed and a problem in bringing together the various pieces of information." The attack in Magdeburg reminded him of the attack on Berlin's Breitscheidplatz eight years ago.

Human chain and right-wing slogans
According to the police, around 4,000 people in Magdeburg remembered the victims of the attack with a human chain on Monday evening and took a stand against the political appropriation by the right. At the same time, the AfD organized a rally in the city, attended by around 3,500 people, according to police.

Referring to the perpetrator, party leader Alice Weidel said that anyone who despises the citizens of the country that granted him asylum "does not belong to us". During the event, there were repeated chants of "Deport! Deport! Deport!" was chanted repeatedly.