A car attack at the Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has left five people dead and more than 200 injured. The detained suspect is a 50-year-old psychiatrist from Saudi Arabia who had been granted asylum in Germany. He was known to the authorities as a fierce critic of Islam and for having made threats of violence, among other things. Europe’s press discusses the ramifications of this act of terrorism.
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Empathetic, calm and dignified in grief
Die Presse praises the way the Germans have responded to the tragedy:
“The country reacted impressively to the terrible news from Magdeburg so close to Christmas – empathetically, calmly and with dignity, even on the football pitch. This sense of community and this well-tempered feeling for the right tone is characteristic of Germany in such situations. Leading media outlets threw themselves into research instead of making sweeping prejudgements. And the political establishment initially refrained from making accusations. … German society’s initial instinctive and collective reaction has been to make room for grief and compassion.”
Unseen polarisation can kill
For Handelsblatt, the attack cannot be understood on the basis of existing models:
“Of course the authorities should have been more vigilant. Apparently certain warning signs were not followed up on. But an ex-Muslim who wants to take revenge on Germany because he thinks it shows too much tolerance towards Islamists – this is unprecedented. Even a vigilant state cannot offer absolute protection. If there’s one lesson to be learned from the tragedy in Magdeburg, it’s this: polarisation kills. Counteracting it cannot be left to the already overburdened state alone. Online platforms that encourage radicalisation also bear responsibility. Crazy conspiracy theories can quickly culminate in a bloodbath.”
Fear must not win out
Such attacks must not be allowed to destroy social peace, Politiken warns:
“The goal of terrorism is always to create fear and insecurity. Unfortunately, atrocities like the one at the Christmas market are something that free societies can never be completely safe from. Crazy people, evil people exist. But the EU is an oasis of calm and stability in a troubled world. Murder and terror are the exception. Security and freedom are the norm. Let’s celebrate this while at the same time ensuring that we are better protected in the future.”
AfD will benefit
Xenophobic parties will exploit the attack in the upcoming election campaign, predicts NRC:
“The country is on alert. An attack on a Christmas market is an attack on a German tradition, on the German way of life. And no matter how crazy the suspected perpetrator may be, first and foremost he is a foreigner. During the memorial service in Magdeburg Cathedral on Saturday evening demonstrators elsewhere were calling for ‘remigration’. The bigger the social debate about migration, the greater the electoral advantage for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) will be.”