Munich Oktoberfest site closed due to possible planned attack, letter found after explosion elsewhere in the city
The Oktoberfest grounds in Munich will remain closed until at least late Wednesday afternoon due to a threat of an explosives attack. The incident stems from a letter found Wednesday morning during a police operation in a house in the city. One person died in the raid.
The police operation in Munich North began early in the morning. Shortly after the fire department was called at 4:40 a.m., loud bangs followed. Arson is suspected. Booby traps were found in the house. Special units were deployed to defuse them, the police reported. A van and two cars also burned out nearby.
A dead man was subsequently found at a nearby lake, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was wearing a backpack, which may also be booby-trapped. Therefore, security services have not yet been able to access the body, according to German media. A second person involved is still missing, but according to police, poses no threat.
Police initially said it was a family dispute, but later that morning it became clear there was a connection to the events in the city. According to Munich Mayor Reiter, a letter related to Oktoberfest was found during the police operation. It allegedly originated from the deceased man. Reiter calls the event a "current threat of explosives."
The opening of the Theresienwiese has therefore been postponed until further notice. The venue will be closed until at least 5 p.m. However, the mayor has not ruled out the possibility that the party will be canceled entirely on Wednesday. Police say they are also investigating possible connections with other locations in Munich.
Oktoberfest runs from September 20th to October 5th and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors daily. That's a total of six million people annually. Many Dutch people also attend.
Oktoberfest staff who weren't informed were told on the spot Wednesday morning to return home. The Theresienwiese metro station was closed, and announcements were made on public transport warning people not to go in that direction.
According to Mayor Reiter, the police are doing everything they can to reopen the festival grounds later on Wednesday, but whether that will be successful is uncertain. "Safety is paramount."
