Germany Cancels Big Parade Over 'Concrete Threat'

Braunschweig Carnival parade axed at last second
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 15, 2015 6:55 AM CST
Germany Cancels Big Parade Over 'Concrete Threat'
'Funkenmariechen', traditional carnival figures, march through the streets of downtown Duesseldorf, Germany, in this 2014 file photo.   (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Rattled in the wake of twin attacks in Denmark, police in the German city of Braunschweig have canceled a popular Carnival street parade because of fears of an imminent Islamist terror attack. Police spokesman Thomas Geese said police received credible information that there was a "concrete threat of an attack" on today's parade and therefore called on all visitors to stay at home. Braunschweig's Carnival parade is the biggest one in northern Germany and draws around 250,000 visitors each year.

Geese said the parade was canceled only 90 minutes before its scheduled start and that "many people arriving at the train station were already dressed up and very disappointed—but we didn't want to take any risks." Meanwhile, the AP reports that the head of the European Jewish Association is calling for EU leaders to "secure all Jewish institutions 24/7" in the wake of the attacks in Denmark. (More terror threat stories.)

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