Petra Dvořáková: Magdeburg, Germany, before the elections: I disagree with everything the AfD stands for, but I am afraid

Wednesday, Feb 19, 2025

Denik Referendum

Magdeburg’s atmosphere is tense following a terrorist attack, marked by rising far-right extremism and daily racism against migrants.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

A fatal attack on Christmas markets in Magdeburg, perpetrated by a 50-year-old Saudi psychiatrist and alleged supporter of the AfD, resulted in six deaths and nearly three hundred injuries. The city’s atmosphere is described as orderly but tense following the incident. Local figures note that the event will not be forgotten. Residents express feelings of vulnerability, with some describing daily experiences of racism against migrants. Political discourse is highly polarized; the far-right AfD gains traction by focusing on immigration and deportation, while other groups organize protests against extremism. Activists voice deep skepticism regarding police effectiveness in combating neo-Nazi violence, citing past incidents. The article also touches upon broader societal issues in East Germany, including economic struggles and the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment, which has intensified with events like the pandemic.

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