First, an explosion is shaking a residential area in northern Munich, Germany, then the famous beer festival, the Oktoberfest, is closed by the authorities. On Wednesday, October 1, he was particularly agitated in the Bavarian capital.
• A fire and an explosion in a city district
Shortly before 5 am, the Munich police was alerted by the residents of the district of Lerchenau, north of the city, who had heard explosion noises and saw a house and a flame truck. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, surrounding buildings have been evacuated.
According to the police, the fire is voluntary. During what the police call “family conflict”, the mother and daughter of the suspect were injured. The latter was found near a neighbor lake. He was seriously injured and died shortly after.
At first, the police could not enter the house because explosives had been installed there. They were gradually deactivated by the police.
A person is also missing, he also said that the police, adding that this person was not considered dangerous.
• Explosive devices
Therefore, explosive devices were found in the burned house in the district of Lerchenau, but also in the backpack of the deceased suspect.
In Munich, an official warning was launched to the population shortly after 11 am, the mobile telephony service has warned about “extreme danger” for the entire city, the Zeit site reports.
In a publication on Instagram, the mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, warned against a “danger to the Oktoberfest” due to the threats issued by the suspect involved in this fire in the north of the city, without giving specific details.
• A threat letter
Later, the Bavarian police said he investigates a possible link between this event and the beer festival held at the same time in Munich.
According to the German newspaper Daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, Dieter Reiter informed his municipal councilors a letter from the suspect delivered threats against the Oktoberfest.
“As part of the investigation, a letter was found written by the suspect near the location of the crime. It continued a non -specific threat of explosive attack in reference to the Oktoberfest,” which thanks hundreds of thousands of people every day, the police said in a statement.
“The Police and the Coordination Committee unanimously agreed that we could not run the risk of authorizing people to enter the Oktoberfest,” said the councilor.
• The party closed until 5.30 pm
Consequently, the famous beer festival was temporarily closed this Wednesday, due to a “threat of non -specific explosives linked to the explosion in northern Munich”, in the words of the municipality.
The event, which is held this year from September 20 to October 5, is considered the world’s largest fun fair. He welcomed 6.7 million visitors in 2024.
As the German media reports, when the closure was announced, the speakers informed visitors to the decision. The latter reacted calmly and dispersed without panic.
The authorities have indicated to search the Oktoberfest. Several dozen smell dogs also mobilized on the site. At a press conference early in the afternoon, police spokesman Sven Müller said he had discovered “nothing unusual”, but insisted on the need to have “absolute certainty.” 45 years ago, on September 26, 1980, an attack attributed to the extreme right had left 13 dead and more than 200 injured in the Oktoberfest.
Finally, shortly before 4 PM, the mayor of the city said the beer festival could reopen after the “green light” given by the police, the bomb alert was raised after the death of the alleged author against him, which transported explosives. “The Oktoberfest reopens today from 5.30 pm,” said Dieter Reiter.
Source: BFM TV
