Magdeburg police reported late Friday that the suspect was a person from Saudi Arabia, which fueled the far-right anger. (German authorities had neither confirmed the violence was terrorism nor tied the suspect to any terror teams on the time of publication.)
Alice Weidel, chair of Germany’s anti-immigrant Various for Germany (AfD) celebration, pointedly requested “When will this insanity finish?” whereas expressing her condolences for the victims of the assault.
The surging AfD, whose anti-immigrant message has previously galvanized voters, is in search of to beef up assist within the run-up to Germany’s Feb. 23 snap federal election. The far-right celebration is at present working second in polls and scored strongly in state elections earlier this 12 months.
Wilders, the far-right Dutch politician who has pushed an anti-Islam and hardcore anti-migration message for years, known as the incident “barbaric” and known as for closed borders in Europe.
“One other barbaric assault in Europe — this time by a person from Saudi Arabia,” Wilders stated. “As soon as once more, an unimaginable variety of harmless victims, useless and wounded, are to be mourned. As soon as once more politicians crying crocodile tears. I’ve been saying it for over 20 years: cease with these open borders.”
French far-right figurehead Le Pen, who’s eyeing her personal likelihood to grab energy in Paris, additionally took goal at Islamism following the assault.