A German city has been forced to install security measures at a Christmas market following a series of attacks.
Movable metal bollards have been put in place in Augsburg as part of efforts to ramp up security in Christmas market areas as the festive season gets underway.
Security staff were spotted hauling heavy bollards to and from the road in the city when trams and cars needed to travel through.
A spokesman for the city of Augsburg said the barriers were not bought specifically for the Christmas market, local media reports.
Frank Pintsch, head of citizen affairs and public order, added the intention of the barriers was to protect visitors and they are activated after allocated delivery hours.
The market in Augsburg is one of the oldest in Germany, dating back to the 15th century.
The increased security measures follow a spate of car ramming attacks in Germany, most recently being in the western city of Mannheim in March when a vehicle was driven into a crowd, leaving two dead.
A similar attack occurred in Munich in February and at a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg last December.
The Christmas market in Augsburg is one of the oldest in Germany
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Authorities said at the time of the Magdeburg attack the suspect used emergency exit points to drive onto the grounds of the market, where he picked up speed and ploughed into the crowds, hitting more than 200 people in a three-minute attack and leaving six dead.
Large concrete barriers, checkpoints at entrances, video surveillance and trained security staff are among the security additions made at Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt market.
David Russ, head of production at the event, said: “The requirements have become increasingly stringent.”
He added that the added measures “give guests a feeling where they can say ‘OK, I can just let go of everything here – I feel safe'”.
Security measures have been stepped up at many Christmas markets in Germany following a series of recent car ramming attacks
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Although towns and cities usually receive a subsidy from their respective budgets to support the cost of organising a Christmas market, smaller municipalities and private organisers often carry the costs themselves.
Local authorities have started calling for the 16 federal states to take on the financial burden, which they say constitutes counter-terrorism and falls outside their remit.
“We need nationwide, reliable rules … otherwise we will soon find ourselves without anyone willing to take on the ever-increasing responsibility for events and shoulder the financial burden,” said Gerold Leppa, head of the Federal Association of City and Town Marketing.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week the federal government could not provide support as it was the responsibility of state police forces, but said he was following the debate.
A sea of flowers were left in Magdeburg after the car ramming attack in December last year
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“It weighs heavily on me that we can no longer hold Christmas markets even in smaller towns without a comprehensive security concept,” he said, according to local media.
The German Association of Towns and Municipalities, which represents the interests of 10,000 local government bodies, said if there were no additional subsidies, “organisers may have little choice but to pass on the costs to visitors”.
Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt market has started charging a €2 entrance fee.
