(AFP) The German city of Magdeburg was in mourning Saturday over a car-ramming attack that brought death and carnage to its Christmas market, but the sorrow gave way to anger when the politicians showed up.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz led a group of black-clad ministers who condemned the violence and laid flowers to pay their respects and offer condolences for the five dead and more than 200 wounded, many children among the casualties.
But the sombre silence outside the city’s cathedral, where candles, flowers and toys had been laid out for victims and survivors, was broken when a man shouted out: “Scholz, do politics for the people!”
“Sit down at the table with the AfD,” yelled Kevin Baecker, a 36-year-old entrepreneur, referring to the far-right Alternative for Germany party that is especially strong in the country’s ex-communist east.
