Dozens feared injured after vehicle plows into crowd at Christmas market in Germany

An “extensive” police operation was underway in a city in eastern Germany after a driver plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market on Friday, officials said.

News agency AFP, citing emergency services on the ground, said up to 80 people had been injured in the incident. It was not known if any had been killed.

“Extensive police operations are currently taking place at the Magdeburg Christmas market. The Christmas market in the city center is closed,” police said in a post on X.

The incident occurred in Magdeburg, which is west of Berlin and is the capital of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Police in New York City have increased security at holiday markets as a precaution and in response to the incident in Germany, a senior NYPD official told NBC News on Friday.

Additional resources will be sent to numerous holiday markets and high-profile locations across the city. Threats have been made to some markets overseas, but no specific local threat has been made, the official said.

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