Grief and Protest: Magdeburg mourns the loss of a fatal Christmas market attack

Grief and Protest: Magdeburg mourns the loss of a fatal Christmas market attack

in the city of Magdeburg, which was shaken by a terrible incident, people gather to commemorate the victims of a cruel car accident. A doctor raced into a busy Christmas market scene on Friday evening and left a trace of destruction: at least five deaths and 200 injured. The city, which counts around 240,000 inhabitants and is 130 kilometers west of Berlin, is in shock!

The tragedy occurred on Friday evening when the 50-year-old suspect, an immigrant of Saudi Arabia, drove into the crowd with his vehicle. Four adults and a nine -year -old child are among the victims. The authorities warn that the number of injuries, 41 of whom are seriously injured, may still rise. The city's bells rang on Saturday at 7:04 p.m.

mourning service in the cathedral

In the Magdeburg cathedral, a moving funeral service took place, which was mainly intended for the relatives of the victims as well as for emergency services and invited guests, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In the meantime, hundreds of people gathered on the central square of the city to lay down flowers and light candles. Some who were not allowed to go to the church looked at a large screen to participate in the ceremony.

not everyone came to mourn. Among the crowds were also demonstrators who drew attention to themselves with right -wing extremist slogans. This violent episode has not only made Magdeburg, but also other cities in Germany on alert. Several Christmas markets were canceled from precautionary measures and solidarity with Magdeburg, while Berlin left its markets opened, but strengthened the police presence.

the suspect and his motifs

The suspect who stood at the crime scene of the police is examined for five times murder and 205 times attempted murder. He describes himself as an Islam -critical activist. According to reports, his motive could be in his dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi Arabian refugees in Germany. The police have not yet named the suspect, but several German news agencies identified him as Taleb A., a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy.

its activities on the X platform, which were confirmed by the Reuters news agency, show support for anti-Islamic and right-wing extremist parties, including the alternative for Germany. A Saudian informant reported that Saudi Arabia had warned the German authorities of the suspect after publishing “extremist” views that threatened peace and security. However, a risk of risk from last year came to the conclusion that the man is "no specific danger".

Germany has experienced a number of attacks in recent years, including a knife attack in which three people died and eight were injured, as well as the devastating attack on a Christmas market in Berlin eight years ago, in which 13 people died. The wounds of these tragedies have not yet healed, and the nation is again faced with the challenge of dealing with grief and horror.