The far-right party is holding a “commemorative event” for the victims of a car attack that has sparked debate over immigration and security policy.
The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) held a so-called “commemorative event” for the victims of a car attack at a Christmas market heated debate on migration and security policy.
The rally took place on Monday in front of a cathedral in the eastern city of Magdeburg, the scene of Last week’s attack Five people were killed and more than 200 others were injured.
“Terror has arrived in our city,” said the AfD leader in Saxony-Anhalt, Jan Wenzel Schmidt, condemning what he called the “monstrous political failure” that led to the attack, which was carried out by a Saudi -Arab citizen was arrested.
“We have to close the borders,” he told hundreds of anti-immigration party supporters. “We can no longer accept crazy people from all over the world.”
The party’s co-chair, Alice Weidel, described the attack as “an act by an Islamist full of hatred for what constitutes human cohesion… for us Germans, for us Christians.”
She called for “change so we can finally live in safety again,” while people in the crowd chanted, “Deport, deport, deport!”
The suspectTaleb al-Abdulmohsen faces numerous charges, including murder and attempted murder. He has reportedly lived in Germany since 2006 and has previously made anti-migrant and Islamophobic posts on social media.
Although the motives have not yet been made public, Abdulmohsen expressed strong Islamophobic views and angered German officials over immigration policy. He has also vocally supported far-right conspiracy theories about the “Islamization” of Europe.
Despite the suspect’s expressed views, which are consistent with the AfD’s xenophobic stance and Islamophobic rhetoric, Weidel called him an “Islamist” at the rally – an attempt to reinforce the party’s xenophobic views.
Friday’s attack has sparked a political debate over migration policy ahead of early elections in February, in which the AfD aims to improve its position in parliament.
According to German newspaper Die Welt, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that “no stone will be left unturned” to find out what information was available about the 50-year-old suspect, who had been treated for mental illness in the past.
Meanwhile, an anti-extremist initiative called “Don’t give hate a chance” also gathered in Magdeburg. “We are all shocked and angry that people want to exploit this cruel act for their own political purposes,” the initiative said in a statement.
