Far-right parties held a “memory” rally for the victims of the car crash, which sparked debate over immigration and security policy.

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party held what it called a “memory” rally for the victims of the Christmas market car crash attack. heated debate On immigration and security policy.

The rally was held on Monday outside a cathedral in the eastern city of Magdeburg. last week’s attack Five people died and more than 200 people were injured.

Alternative for Saxony-Anhalt leader Jan Wenzel Schmidt said “a terrorist attack has come to our city” and condemned what he said was a “terrible political failure” that led to the attack. , a Saudi Arabian citizen was arrested.

“We have to close the borders,” he told hundreds of supporters of the anti-immigration party. “We can no longer house lunatics from all over the world.”

Party co-leader Alice Weidel described the attack as “an act of Islamists, filled with hatred for what constitutes the cohesion of humanity… for us Germans and us Christians”.

She demanded “change so we can finally live safely again” as people in the crowd chanted: “Deport, deport, deport!”

suspectTaleb al-Abdulmohsen faces multiple charges, including murder and attempted murder. He has reportedly lived in Germany since 2006 and has previously made anti-immigration and anti-Islam posts on social media.

Although his motive has not been made public, Abdelmosen has expressed strong anti-Islamic views and is angry at German officials’ immigration policies. He has also openly espoused far-right conspiracy theories about the “Islamization” of Europe.

Although the suspect expressed views consistent with the AfD’s anti-immigration stance and Islamophobic rhetoric, Wedel attempted to bolster the party’s anti-immigration views by calling him an “Islamist” at the rally.

Friday’s attack sparked political debate over immigration policy ahead of snap elections in February, in which the AfD hopes to boost its standing in parliament.

According to Germany’s “Le Monde”, Interior Minister Nancy Feser said “no effort will be spared” to reveal existing information about the 50-year-old suspect, who has received treatment for mental illness in the past.

At the same time, an anti-extremism initiative called “Don’t give hate a chance” is gathering in Magdeburg. “We are shocked and outraged to see people seeking to exploit this cruelty for their own political purposes,” the initiative said in a statement.