AfD members mourn victims of the Madgeburg market attack

(23 Dec 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Madgeburg - 23 Dec 2024
1. Wide of people at AfD Protest
2. Wide of stage with Alice Weidel, co-chairwoman of the far-right Alternative for Germany
3. Sign, reading (German): “MD (Stands for Magdeburg) is colourful”
4. SOUNDBITE (German) Alice Weidel, co-chairwoman of the far-right Alternative for Germany:
“Dear friends, we are gathered here, one day before Christmas Eve to remember the victims of an act of madness. An act beyond the imagination of all present. An act by an Islamist full of hatred for what constitutes human cohesion. On us humans. On us Germans. On us Christians.”
5. Crowd shouting (German) “deportation”
6. Weidel on stage, while crowd shouts (German): “deportation”
7. Crowd applauding
8. Weidel listening to crowd shouting (German): “Alice for Germany”
9. Crowd applauding
10. AfD Politicians on stage
11. People leaving for mourning march
12. Candles
13. People stopping for candles
14. Flowers and candles
15. People walking to put candles
16. Close of candles and flowers
STORYLINE:
The co-chairwoman of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, claimed that Friday's Magdeburg attack was "an act of an Islamist full of hatred", during a gathering organized outside the city's cathedral on Monday.

Alice Weidel told the rally had gathered "to remember the victims of an act of madness."

Mourners held a candlelight vigil near the scene as investigators puzzled over the motive of the suspect and his previous encounters with authorities were scrutinized, while fears swirled that the rampage could deepen divisions in German society.

Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had received permanent residency. They say he doesn't fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. The man described himself as an ex-Muslim who was highly critical of Islam, and on social media expressed support for the far-right.

A picture has emerged of someone who had come to authorities’ attention for threatening behaviour and been the subject of tipoffs, but wasn't known to have committed any violence.

The interior minister of Saxony-Anhalt state, Tamara Zieschang, told lawmakers Monday that police had contacted him in September 2023 and again in October this year, but didn't comment publicly on why, German news agency dpa reported.




===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...