Municipalities - Organizer increases security at Christmas markets
Following the arrest of terror suspects, security precautions have been increased at some Christmas markets. As the organizer of the Christmas markets in Potsdam and Cottbus, the company Coex, announced on Friday, entrances to the event site will be blocked with security cars as a barrier. There will also be more security staff. "We will make some adjustments", Coex said about the security situation. "There will also be an increased police presence, with whom we are in constant contact," said the Christmas market organizer.
A spokesperson for the police headquarters in Potsdam said: "There are no indications or findings of a specific threat to Christmas markets in Brandenburg." The police are out and about at the markets with emergency services and are in contact with the operators. "We reassess the security situation on a daily basis."
In North Rhine-Westphalia and in Wittstock/Dosse in Brandenburg, two young people aged 15 and 16 were arrested on suspicion of terrorism. They were allegedly planning an attack on a Christmas market. Police in Lower Saxony are investigating a 20-year-old on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. Investigators have not ruled out the Christmas market in Hanover as a possible target. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) warned against attacks in view of the arrests and the war in Gaza.
In the small town of Wittstock in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, security forces and police will also be present at the Christmas market from December 8 to 10, according to a spokesperson for the town council. However, the aim is not to turn the Christmas market into a high-security area, but to maintain a cozy atmosphere. The arrest of the terror suspect in Wittstock is a topic of discussion in the town, but there has been no great sense of insecurity so far.
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- In response to the escalating concerns about extremism and terrorism, municipalities across Germany are implementing robust safety precautions at their Christmas markets, including the ones in Potsdam and Cottbus organized by Coex.
- While there are no direct threats to the Christmas markets in Brandenburg, as confirmed by the police headquarters in Potsdam, an increased police presence and surveillance has been put in place to ensure public safety.
- The arrest of two teenagers in Wittstock and a 20-year-old in Lower Saxony on suspicion of planning terror attacks at Christmas markets has heightened security measures across Germany, including at the Wittstock Christmas market.
- Despite the heightened security, the small town of Wittstock wants to maintain a festive atmosphere at its Christmas market, with security forces and police serving as a reassuring presence rather than deterrents.
- Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has issued a warning against potential attacks, urging the public to be vigilant and follow security protocols despite the festive mood of the holiday season.
- In light of the recent arrests and heightened security measures, some municipalities in Brandenburg, such as Wittstock, have strengthened their police force and implemented additional safety precautions to protect their citizens and visitors at Christmas markets.
Source: www.stern.de
