GERMAN TOWNS SCRAP CHRISTMAS MARKETS AS SECURITY COSTS SOAR AFTER ASYLUM-SEEKER ATTACKS

Multiple towns in North Rhine-Westphalia, including Overath and Kerpen, have cancelled Christmas markets, citing unaffordable counterterror measures such as cordons, vehicle barriers, and additional guards. Organisers say city funding was insufficient to meet current security requirements. The moves follow high-profile attacks at public events in Germany involving asylum seekers, heightening security concerns. The cancellations suggest a growing tension between public safety mandates and local event budgets.