German Christmas market attack – latest: Nine-year-old boy killed is named as thousands raised on GoFundMe
Nine-year-old child among five dead with 200 other people injured in attack, including 40 critical
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The nine-year-old boy who is among five people killed in the car-ramming attack on a German Christmas market has been named, as thousands of pounds were raised for his grieving family.
In a heartbreaking social media post, the mother of André Gleißner paid tribute to her son, saying: “Let my little teddy bear fly around the world again. André didn’t do anything to anybody. He was only with us on earth for nine years. Why you? Just why?”
A GoFundMe page set up to support the family has already raised close to £50,000, with its organisers describing André as having a “cheerful smile and joy for life” and lamenting that he will never be able to open his Christmas presents.
Meanwhile, the Saudi doctor accused of driving into the market in Magdeburg has appeared in court, as anger over alleged security failings grows.
Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, 50, was remanded in police custody after appearing in front of a judge on Saturday evening.
In a statement, Magdeburg police said: “The judge ordered pre-trial detention for five counts of murder, multiple attempted murder and multiple counts of dangerous bodily harm,” its statement said.
Whatever the aim, the German Christmas market attack will surely make the West more divided
The confounding picture of Taleb A. makes his aims while behind the wheel on Friday night all the more muddy. But for too many people and politicians, the identity of the perpetrator as an Arab will be enough, Mark Almond writes:
Whatever the aim, the German Christmas market attack will make the West more divided
The confounding picture of Taleb A. makes his aims while behind the wheel on Friday night all the more muddy. But for too many people and politicians, the identity of the perpetrator as an Arab will be enough, Mark Almond writes
Suspect had not worked since October
The clinic where the suspect is believed to have worked released a statement following Friday night’s attack.
Posting on Instagram, the Salus-Fachklinikum Bernburg clinic said it was “shocked to learn that the alleged perpetrator worked as a specialist doctor in our enforcement in Bernburg”.
It added that the suspect had been employed there as a psychiatric specialist since March 2020, but he had not been working since October due to illness and holiday.
“We have been supporting the work of the investigative authorities in every possible way since the late hours,” it added.
Germany’s foreign minister says Christmas markets must be ‘places of solidarity'
Germany’s foreign minister Annalena Baerbock has stressed that Christmas markets should continue to be “places of solidarity and togetherness in society”, in comments to the dpa press agency.
The attack at Magdeburg has prompted several other towns to cancel their weekend Christmas markets as a precaution and out of solidarity. Berlin – which suffered a 2016 attack at a church market in which 12 people were killed and 49 injured – kept its markets open but increased the police presence.
Germany’s interior minister calls for tighter domestic security laws
Germany’s interior minister has called for parliament to urgently adopt drafted laws to tighten domestic security in the country.
Speaking to the Spiegel newspaper, Nancy Faeser said: “It is clear that we must do everything we can to protect the people of Germany from such horrific acts of violence. To do this, our security authorities need all the necessary powers and more personnel.”
Gun laws and security powers were tightened following August’s mass stabbing in Solingen, in which three people were killed and for which Isis claimed responsibility. However, Ms Faeser claimed further legislation such as a new federal police act and moves to introduce biometric surveillance were blocked primarily by her former coalition partners in the FDP.
“All of these bills of ours could be passed immediately if the Union and FDP do not refuse to do so,” Ms Faeser claimed, despite her party having lost its parliamentary majority ahead of the new year and looming elections in February.
Nine-year-old victim’s family to share fundraiser proceeds with fellow bereaved and survivors
The family of nine-year-old André Gleissner will share the proceeds of an online fundraiser with the families of other victims, after a GoFundMe set up by a family friend raised tens of thousands of pounds.
Describing André’s family as “simply overwhelmed” by the donations, which are to help towards funeral costs, the page’s organiser initially paused the fundraiser after “so much money was raised that we never expected”.
But in a later update, the organiser said they had reopened the option to donate after receiving a flood of requests from members of the public who wished to do so, adding that André’s family intend to pass on a large part of the donations to the other victims who died or were injured in the attack.
The fundraiser has so far raised nearly €65,000 (£53,000).
Perpetrator ‘does not fit any existing mould’, minister says
Germany’s interior minister Nancy Faeser has vowed that the criminal investigation into Friday’s attack would leave no stone unturned.
“The task is to piece together all findings and paint a picture of this perpetrator, who does not fit any existing mould,” Ms Faeser said.
“This perpetrator acted in an unbelievably cruel and brutal manner – like an Islamist terrorist, although he was clearly ideologically hostile to Islam,” she added.
The suspect had been strongly critical of German authorities as well as Islam in the past. He had also appeared in a number of media interviews in recent years reporting on his work helping Saudi Arabians who had turned their back on Islam to flee to Europe.
He had voiced support on social media platform X for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and for US billionaire Elon Musk, who has backed the AfD.
Sea of floral tributes laid at church close to scene of attack
A sea of flowers stretched out in front of St John’s Church in Magdeburg, close to the scene of the crime, which attracted a steady stream of tearful mourners over the weekend.
“This is my second time here. I was here yesterday. I brought flowers and it moved me so much and I had to know today how many flowers were brought,” local resident Ingolf Klinzmann told Reuters.
A sign commemorating the victims bore in large lettering the word “Why?”.
‘Minor disturbances’ as far-right demonstrates in Magdeburg
There were scuffles and some “minor disturbances” at a far-right demonstration attended by around 2,100 people on Saturday night in Magdeburg, police said. They added that criminal proceedings would follow, but did not give details.
Protesters, some wearing black balaclavas, held up a large banner with the word “remigration”, a term popular with supporters of the far right who seek the mass deportation of immigrants and people they deem not ethnically German.
Questions over suspect’s past posts on X
Local media reported that the suspect Taleb al-Abdulmohsen had shown support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD), with a Saudi source telling Reuters that the kingdom had warned German authorities about the suspect, who the source said had posted extremist views on his personal X account.
German ambassador to the UK Miguel Berger told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House programme on Sunday: “The question is, ‘Does X really act against these things?’”
Full report: Anger grows in Germany over missed chances to stop Christmas market attack
As the German city of Magdeburg mourns the loss of people killed in an attack on a Christmas market, anger is growing over security concerns and previous warnings given to authorities about the suspect.
The leader of Germany’s far-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance party, Sahra Wagenknecht, asked “why so many tips and warnings were ignored beforehand,” and called for interior minister Nancy Faeser to explain.
On the other end of the political spectrum, AfD’s parliamentary head demanded a parliamentary session be held to discuss security issues.
Far-right protesters also took to the streets of Magdeburg on Saturday evening, holding a sign which read “remigration” and calling for the mass deportation of immigrants.
My colleague Athena Stavrou reports:
Anger grows in Germany over missed chances to stop Magdeburg Christmas market attack
Authorities deemed previously suspect ‘no specific danger’ following a risk assessment