Police in the northern German port city of Bremerhaven have arrested a man over an online threat to stab everyone with an “Arab or southern” appearance at the local Christmas market.
The arrest comes after a man drove a car through the Christmas market in Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least five people.
What was said in the video?
The individual, with long gray hair, a beard, and glasses, repeatedly says he will target people with Arab appearance and that he has nothing to lose.
“I will go to the Christmas market here in Bremerhaven on the 25th and I’m going to stab anyone who looks Arab or southern — anyone. I’m taking enough knives with me.”
The man says it “must finally come to an end here in Germany.”
“This is no joke… I’ve got nothing to lose. I have no relatives. I am alone and I live alone. I could just as well be dead or in jail.”
At the beginning of the video, the man says he comes from Bremerhaven, “known as ‘Fischtown,’ of the Fischtown Penguins,” referring to the local ice hockey club.
He says he is posting the video in case a previous message hadn’t appeared or had been blocked.
How did police respond?
After several people pointed out the video to authorities, Bremen police thanked the public and said: “Measures have already been initiated.”
They later said the man had been arrested “very quickly” and that there was no danger to the public.
They did not initially provide specific information about the possible motive for the crime.
Bremerhaven, which lies on the Weser River estuary, is one of Germany’s busiest ports and is an exclave of the city-state of Bremen.
The Christmas market there runs until December 30 — later than most in Germany which typically close before the main festive celebrations.
Security tightened at Christmas markets
Christmas markets are currently the focus of security authorities after a man drove a car through a Christmas market in the central German city of Magdeburg, killing five, including a 9-year-old child, and wounding 200.
The 50-year-old suspect in the attack is a Saudi Arabian doctor who has lived in Germany since 2006.
rc/rm (dpa, epd, AFP)
