Vienna’s police have significantly increased security measures at Christmas markets across the Austrian capital, one day after a deadly car attack in Germany, where five people were killed and over 200 others injured. The heightened security measures have also been extended to other cities across Austria.
On Friday evening, a car drove into pedestrians at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, eastern Germany. Authorities arrested a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia at the scene.
Car Plows Through Christmas Market in Germany
The driver, a Saudi Arabian doctor, drove for 400 meters through the market, running into people. While the incident in Magdeburg has no direct connection to Austria, it prompted the Austrian authorities to boost police presence in Vienna, particularly at the city’s popular Christmas markets, starting on Saturday.
“There is no specific threat in Vienna,” said David Pawlik, a spokesperson for the Vienna police, speaking to AFP. “However, due to the incident in Magdeburg, we have decided to increase police presence at the Christmas markets, and we are in close contact with German authorities.”
Increased Security Across Austria
Security measures have also been tightened at Christmas markets in several other Austrian provinces, including Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Burgenland.
In November 2020, a previously convicted supporter of ISIS killed four people and injured 23 others in central Vienna before being shot by police. This marked the first deadly jihadist attack in Austria. Following the attack, Austria introduced controversial anti-terror laws that allow for increased surveillance and security measures.
