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Scholz in Magdeburg as death toll rises to five
Kate Connolly
Within the past hour Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has arrived in Magdeburg with his interior minister Nancy Faeser.
Together with the leader of the state of Saxony Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, all of them dressed in black, they walked in silence across the Christmas market along the street where the attacker ploughed his car through the crowds last night killing five, and injuring 205, 41 of them critically.
They were accompanied by environment minister Steffi Lemke and the Transport minister Volker Wissing. Scholz is just about to speak to waiting journalists on the square.
Key events
Kate Connolly
Olaf Scholz has called for solidarity at this difficult time:
It is important to me that we stay together as a country, that hatred does not determine how we live together.
Kate Connolly
While many of the Christmas lights in Magdeburg city centre have now been turned off, a big wheel on a funfair close to the market stands static on the skyline, and the stalls of the market are shuttered, the chimes of a clock from a church at noon still rang out with the melody of a favourite German Christmas carol, ‘Fröhliche Weihnacht Überall’ or ‘Merry Christmas Everywhere’.
The opening line of it is: “Merry Christmas! Everywhere a joyful sound rings through the air.”
It was a painful reminder of the celebrations that Magdeburgers had been preparing for just hours ago and how their joy has now been shattered by the murderous attack, which will overshadow Christmas across the country.
As one leading Magdeburg official said last night: “Christmas is over in Magdeburg.”
Scholz: Attack was ‘terrible, insane’ act
Kate Connolly
Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the deadly attack in Magdeburg as a “terrible, insane act”.
He said there is “no place more peaceful and cheerful than a Christmas market,” where people go with friends and family to enjoy a gluhwein (hot punch) and seek some contemplation and joy.
“What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality.”
Earlier, he and ministers from his government laid flowers at the site of the attack.
Scholz: 40 people so badly injured that we have to be very concerned
Kate Connolly
Scholz has just addressed journalists on the market square.
He said he had been informed about the extent of the attack and was shocked at the scale of it.
“Almost 40 people are so badly injured that we have to be very concerned about them,” he said.
Kate Connolly
Leader of Saxony Anhalt state Reiner Haseloff describes the scene as “an unimaginable incident”.
Haselhof says the scale of the attack is much bigger than previously thought, with the death toll having risen to five and the extent of those injured much larger than the estimates given last night.
He says that the attack is now part of Magdeburg’s history and will shape the identity of the city. He says the scale of the attack is also huge for the entire country.
He thanks the emergency workers, without whose work the situation could have been much much worse, he says.
He says this evening the cathedral in Magdeburg will hold a ceremony to bring together the citizens of Magdeburg.
He says “security will be something about which there need to be much clearer discussions in the future, but the time for that is not now”.
He adds: “Now is the time for mourning. Protecting Germany’s freedom and democracy remains a clear aim, which is connected with the process of mourning. Let us try to overcome this together.”
Scholz in Magdeburg as death toll rises to five
Kate Connolly
Within the past hour Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has arrived in Magdeburg with his interior minister Nancy Faeser.
Together with the leader of the state of Saxony Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, all of them dressed in black, they walked in silence across the Christmas market along the street where the attacker ploughed his car through the crowds last night killing five, and injuring 205, 41 of them critically.
They were accompanied by environment minister Steffi Lemke and the Transport minister Volker Wissing. Scholz is just about to speak to waiting journalists on the square.
Death toll increases to five
Kate Connolly
The number of dead has now risen to five people, according to Spiegel.
Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, is in Magdeburg with interior minister Nancy Faeser.
Journalists are gathered on the market square where the attack took place last night, waiting for Scholz to give a press conference.
The market is surrounded by police from the BKA or Federal Criminal Police who are tightly guarding the square, including the alleyways leading to it.
Journalists have been instructed not to leave the huddle.
Kate Connolly
The number of injured now stands at 205, with 41 people confirmed to be in critical condition.