Don’t panic if you see more police officers in the Hungarian Christmas markets – UPDATE with PHOTOS

According to the official website of the Hungarian Police, plainclothes police officers will flood Hungarian Christmas markets after the brutal car attack a 50-year-old doctor with Saudi origins committed at the Magdeburg Christmas fair. Prominent politicians of the Orbán cabinet continued to criticise Germany’s welcome culture during which millions of illegal migrants arrived in the country. FM Szijjártó talked about an atmosphere of fear in the European Christmas markets.

More Hungarian police officers in Christmas markets

According to police.hu, more plainclothes police officers will stand on duty in the Hungarian Christmas fairs following the brutal car attack a Saudi doctor carried out at the Magdeburg Christmas fair on Friday. The aim is to improve the subjective perception of safety and prevent crimes committed in public spaces. The increased police presence will affect not only the markets but also the downtown of Budapest, and bigger rural towns and the main roads leading to these settlements.

Furthermore, visitors may see physical obstacles around the Christmas markets, increasing safety and preventing similar attacks. Police ask everybody to pay attention to their valuables and follow their instructions for everybody’s sake.

Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Centre increases presence

According to 444.hu, units of Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Centre (TEK) are also present in the Budapest and rural Christmas fairs, especially at the Vörösmarty Square Christmas Fair and the Advent Bazilika. Both Christmas markets were chosen as Europe’s best ones. TEK said they would like to reduce their reaction time and improve the participants’ sense of safety by being present in and in close proximity to the Christmas fairs.

According to Délmagyar, the organisers of the Szeged Christmas fair also increased security after the Magdeburg attack. For example, they closed the great gate connecting the Dóm Square with the Aradi vértanúk Square, which might be used for a similar attack against the large crowds gathering to celebrate the Advent period in front of the Szeged Basilica. Of course, pedestrians can continue to use the side gates.

Hungarian politicians’ remarks

PM Orbán talked about the Magdeburg attack in his annual international press conference, saying that Brussels (the European Commission) wanted to “turn Hungary into Magdeburg”, and force risky migration regulations on the country, which “must not be allowed”. He added there was “no doubt” of a connection between illegal migration and terrorist acts but many had tried to deny this, “even though it is a fact that nothing like [such attacks] had happened before” Europe’s migration crisis.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó talked about the attack as “shocking and unacceptable” and highlighted that fear has become a “common feeling” among those who visit Christmas markets in Europe today.

Magdeburg attack commited by Saudi doctor

9 people, including a 9-year-old kid, died in the Magdeburg terrorist attack on Friday while more than 200 people were injured.

The main suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor, named Taleb al-Abdulmohsen by the local media, arrived in Germany in 2006 and worked as a psychiatrist. German authorities granted him asylum in 2016. “He ran a website that aimed to help other former Muslims flee persecution in their Gulf homelands”, BBC wrote about him. Saudi authorities said they had sent four “Notes Verbal” about the perpetrator, but German authorities ignored them. Experienced counter-terrorism experts believe that is just part of a Saudi disinformation campaign to discredit people trying to help flee Saudi women and seek asylum in Germany. According to reports, the man “considered himself the most aggressive critic of Islam”.

Read also:

• Young people planning armed attacks against protected persons in Hungary – US intelligence warns

• UN Counter-Terrorism Office in Budapest to expand Hungarian staff under new agreement