Extra security around Valkenburg Christmas markets after attacks in Germany

Valkenburg’s Christmas markets opened Friday afternoon under heightened security. The Limburg municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul has been increasing precautions since the national threat level was raised to 4 out of 5 at the end of 2023, indicating a real risk of attack in the Netherlands. This year, the security measures are stricter than in past years.

Security measures include concrete barriers to block vehicles, camera monitoring, entrance checks at the Valkenburg caves, and a reduction in Christmas parades. There will be nine parades this year instead of 12. Mayor Daan Prevoo said the cutbacks are partly due to limited staffing among police and municipal employees.

“The fact that Christmas markets are frequent targets, particularly in Germany, is another reason,” he said. He pointed to last year’s attack in Magdeburg, Germany, where six people were killed and hundreds were injured.

“The start of the Christmas markets is always a thrilling time,” the mayor said. “Whenever large crowds gather, there is an inherent risk that we can never fully remove.” He praised the huge effort by the municipality and emergency services, including police and fire departments. At the same time, he emphasized the festive spirit of the events. “It’s no surprise that hundreds of thousands of visitors attend.”

Until early January, Valkenburg is known as Christmas Town Valkenburg, hosting a range of holiday events that draw over half a million visitors annually. Guests can explore Christmas stalls, including those set up in the city’s historic caves.