(European Conservative) Several German towns have canceled their traditional Christmas markets this year, pointing to the mounting costs of new security requirements introduced after a series of terror attacks. Local organizers argue that they are unable to comply with the government’s anti-terror measures, such as installing barriers, setting up surveillance systems, and posting additional guards, all of which have become prerequisites for hosting public events.
In Overath, a town of 27,000 in North Rhine-Westphalia, the stalls will remain closed this year. The local festival association says it cannot afford the necessary counter-terrorism measures on its own, yet the local government refuses to contribute financially, according to Rheinische Post. For the past year and a half, the association has been in talks with the town’s administration regarding who will cover the costs of the necessary security measures, the newspaper quotes Andreas Koschmann, chairman of the Overath marketing association.
