minute of silence and black armband for the victims of Magdeburg

First and second division football matches in Germany will begin this weekend with a minute's silence in tribute to the victims of the Magdeburg attack, the German Football League (DFL) announced in a press release.

“German professional football is shocked by the attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. The DFL recommends the wearing of a black mourning armband for Bundesliga and 2. Liga matches this weekend (15th and 17th days), and supports minutes of silence in tribute to the victims,” wrote the League.

The German Handball League has agreed, for its part, “in agreement with the Eisenach club”, to postpone the Bundesliga home match between Magdeburg and Eisenach, initially scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

A car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg committed early Friday evening left at least five dead and more than 200 injured in this city in the north-east of the country, according to a latest provisional report.

The alleged perpetrator of the attack is a 50-year-old doctor of Saudi origin who was arrested at the scene of the tragedy.