Shock at the Stuttgart Christmas market: Islamist calls are worrying!

Shock at the Stuttgart Christmas market: Islamist calls are worrying!

The Christmas fairy tale at the Stuttgart Christmas market has a bitter aftertaste. Instead of gentle Christmas sounds like “A moo, a moo, a perpetrator” or “Kling, bell, klingelingeling”, Islamist calls echoed across the market. Last Advent weekend, the square was transformed into an unexpected center for political rallies. Thousands of Syrians gathered to celebrate the defeat of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But amid the cheers there were worrying chants.

These chants included chants of “Allahu Akbar” – words that essentially mean “Allah is great” but are often used by Islamists as a call to violence. How Picture reported, a spokesman for the Stuttgart police confirmed the occurrence of a demonstration with around 3,000 to 5,000 participants. The police evaluate video recordings to translate choirs and assess their meaning.

Protest or provocation? Voices of concern

Politicians and Islam experts are shocked by the events. Andrea Lindholz (CSU), parliamentary group deputy, expressed understanding for the Assad government's case, but emphasized that Islamist slogans at Christmas markets were absolutely unacceptable. Ahmad Mansour, extremism expert and psychologist, criticized the deliberate use of Christmas markets for demonstrations as disrespectful and tasteless.

An increased security risk?

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has already pointed out the legal knife ban for Christmas markets. TheFederal Office for the Protection of the Constitutioncontinues to warn of an increased threat from terrorist organizations, particularly the Islamic State. Because of their symbolism for Christian values, Christmas markets are an ideal target for Islamist violent criminals.

Neither hoping for the cheerful Christmas spirit nor ignoring the dire threat on social media, visitors must exercise caution. According to estimates, the threatening potential for ideologically motivated violence at Christmas markets is high. How Picture states, precautions should be increased to protect its popularity as a symbol of Western culture and tradition.

In view of these entanglements, the question arises as to how cultural tensions can be dealt with and peaceful interaction can be ensured. Christmas markets as places of joy must not become scenes of provocation.