Breaking : possible terror attack in Berlin

[MagicMary1]

twitter.com/ap/status/810931083944534016

This is so sad.

Wasn't Katie Hopkins outraged when anyone linked Jo Cox and the remain campaign? Pot and kettle, disgusting woman.

Police saying on German TV that a suspect has been arrested.

YABU

We're Berliners; I've been dreading something like this happening for a while. This is DD2's favourite Christmas market (cos it's near her favourite shops), thank goodness she's at home on a school evening. I just have to hope that nobody we know is affected - DD1's old school (she graduated this summer) is just down the road. But it's shit shit shit. And it's really important at this point that people don't follow the AfD line and use this as an excuse for peddling poisonous anti-Islam shit; the overwhelming majority of Turks and North Africans in Berlin are going to be as horrified as everyone else. It's a market that attracts a lot of tourists too, not just locals.

Anger and violence feeding anger and violence. Its a destructive never ending circle. I think the Ankara assassination has fallen straight into the hands of Putin. Likewise the German Far right will have a field day. Anyway plenty of time to unpick these events in the future. Time to look after the victims now.

I very nearly cancelled my trip to Düsseldorf Christmas market due to this very risk. I am so glad I didn't as it was gorgeous but feel so sad for those involved in this attack

Anti-islamic feeling?
The Zurich one was people praying in an islamic centre being shot. I doubt there will be an islamic perpetrator, tbh.

Concrete barriers suddenly appeared around the Birmingham market - I presume in response to some information as they weren't there initially. I didn't fancy going anyway, particularly with my children.

It is awful and it will happen increasingly frequently I think.

Archfarchnad Terrifying. I hope you and yours are all safe.

There was a thread where the OP was questioning whether she should or shouldn't go to a Christmas market because of terrorism. Speak of the devil.

I saw that thread too about going to the German market. Hope they are ok

I in no way want to take away from the fact that lives have been lost and that my situation is absolutely nothing compared to that....

But DP's surprise Christmas present is three nights in Berlin from the 27th to go to the Christmas markets FFS

phil

Wouldn't be so sure. There seems to be an internal battle in the community between the very conservative Islamic central council (i think that might be their English name) and the forum for a progressive Islam (also loosely translated) in Switzerland and other groups...

So awful. RIP.

I'm afraid this is why ive never been to one of the big Christmas markets in Manchester etc. They get so packed and are ripe for this kind of thing, if it is a terrorist attack of course.

I mean, these groups are having internal issues.

The progressives have called for then investigation of mosques and preachers, for example,

More hate for Katie Hopkins than for the terrorists on this thread .

That was my thread.
Like I said I was lucky and had the most amazing time. Like we should all be able to without this worry

Oh no. Not again. Nine dead so close to Christmas
What did KH say?

Reluctantly, we didn't go to the Xmas markets in Birmingham; it's a long journey for us but also I was concerned about the terrorist risk. I hate that it stopped me from going but it's not just me that I have to think about,
My first thought about Berlin was not again

DH and I and the kids traditionally go to one of the central Christmas markets on the 23rd every year - not the Breitscheid Platz one where this has happened, but similar. Right now I just want to say no, we stay away from crowded places, but that's giving in to the terrorists. I'll see how things develop in the next few days.

"Archfarchnad Terrifying. I hope you and yours are all safe." I'm just happy that both DDs and DH were here when we heard, so no direct worries. And I need to tell myself that it's statistically unlikely any friends are caught up in this.

DDs are teenagers so old enough to go out and about by themselves, and I know DD1 (home from uni) was planning to meet her friends tomorrow in town. I need to put my big girl pants on right now and tell myself we can't hide away - but I hope they also understand that they need to stay contactable on their phones at all times. The irony is that Berlin is otherwise an incredibly safe city - much more so than London.

anna

Hate achieves nothing. Hopkins is using hate to fuel her own fame.

Concrete barriers suddenly appeared around the Birmingham market

I am sure it was Birmingham that terrorists visited from France/Belgium.

If we were able to do it here why on earth not in Germany?

The victims in Zurich were all Somali origin, according to one of the wire reports - shot in the prayer hall (so actually inside, rather than a room adjoining the exterior): so it could also be intra-Muslim as PP suggested - though I'd have thought more likely, surely, to be ultra R wing?

As for PP going after Christmas - just after a terrorist attack is usually the safest time.