Death trip to the Christmas market: Political reappraisal after the attack in Magdeburg

After the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg with five dead and many seriously injured, the political process of coming to terms with the violent act begins. The state parliament’s council of elders is meeting in Magdeburg today – the parliament’s leadership committee wanted to get an idea, it was said. Above all, the question is whether the fatal journey could have been prevented – and what conclusions should be drawn for better protection. The district council pointed out that absolute protection at Christmas markets was impossible.

Meanwhile, a man was arrested in Bremerhaven last night after threatening serious crimes at the city’s Christmas market in a Tiktok video. After the video became known, the author was investigated “very quickly” on Sunday evening and was temporarily arrested in the city, the police said. There is no danger to the population. Police did not initially release any further details about the arrest or how serious the threats were.

Faeser wants to push through further bills

After the Magdeburg death trip, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) spoke out in “Spiegel” in favor of immediately passing outstanding draft laws on internal security. As soon as the investigation has produced a clear picture of the perpetrator and the background to the crime, the necessary conclusions will be drawn. After the Islamist attack in Solingen, gun laws have already been tightened and the powers of the security authorities have been strengthened, she said. On August 23rd, a man in Solingen killed three people with a knife and injured eight others. The suspected attacker, the Syrian Issa Al H., is in custody.

Fiber said that further changes to the law were primarily blocked by the FDP. The SPD minister mentioned, for example, the new Federal Police Act, which was intended to strengthen the federal police, or the introduction of biometric surveillance, which had held up the Union in the Federal Council. “All of our draft laws could be passed immediately if the Union and FDP do not refuse to do so,” said Faeser. After the traffic light failed, the red-green federal government no longer has a majority in the Bundestag.

Warnings against symbolic politics and hasty conclusions

FDP General Secretary Marco Buschmann, however, warned against jumping to hasty conclusions. “Our job is to support the victims and their relatives. It would be bad to compete for symbolic measures. That would not do justice to the terrible situation,” he told “Spiegel”. SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch also called for prudence: “Instrumentalizations or hasty conclusions help no one and only divide our society,” he told “Spiegel”. “Instead, once the evaluation has been carried out, we should draw the necessary lessons – both for the security architecture and for social cohesion.”

Counties: Absolute protection at Christmas markets impossible

The German District Association points out that even with increased police presence and more controls, there can be no guarantee of security at Christmas markets. “There is a higher presence of police and law enforcement officers everywhere and in Magdeburg too, the entrances have been checked by the police and bags have been searched,” said District Council President Achim Brötel (CDU) to the Editorial Network Germany (RND). “But there will be no absolute protection.”

Because of the dangers posed by knife attacks, the legal requirements have already been significantly tightened, including general bans, he said. In addition, Christmas markets and similar events are places for encounters and togetherness. “That’s why, despite all the abstract dangers, you have to act with a sense of proportion so that they can remain so.”

AfD invites you to a rally in Magdeburg

In a video message, Green Party candidate for chancellor Robert Habeck called on people not to allow themselves to be infected by hate. Right-wing groups had already called for demonstrations in Magdeburg shortly after the crime. The AfD has now invited people to a rally on Magdeburg Cathedral Square early on Monday evening, followed by a funeral march. AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel and several AfD state politicians are expected to attend. The invitation said the terrible act dramatically demonstrated the dangers of current immigration policy.

Parallel to the AfD event, an initiative called “Don’t give hate a chance” called for a human chain around the Old Market. The perpetrator, Taleb A., drove a car through the Christmas market on Friday evening, killing five people and injuring 200.

The perpetrator was no stranger to the authorities

Taleb A. is in custody. The doctor from Bernburg, south of Magdeburg, comes from Saudi Arabia, has lived in Germany since 2006 and received asylum in 2016 as a politically persecuted person. He has been noticed in various places over the past few years. According to BKA boss Holger Münch, proceedings were initiated in November 2023 following a tip from Saudi Arabia about the man. But the matter was unspecific – and the man was not known for acts of violence.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) referred a person with information about the later perpetrator of the Magdeburg attack to the police. This corresponds to the procedure planned for such cases, the office said at the request of the German Press Agency. The question of whether the Bamf itself informed the police was not answered. The Federal Office had previously announced on Platform X that the tip had been received via social media channels in late summer last year.