Oktoberfest to reopen after bomb threat linked to explosion at house in Munich

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 01/10/2025 - 11:00 GMT+2 •Updated 17:19

The Oktoberfest brew show successful Munich is reopening connected Wednesday evening aft an hourslong closure owed to a explosive threat by a fishy linked to an detonation astatine a residential building successful nan northbound of nan city, according to authorities.

Police said preliminary findings indicated that nan fishy — a 57-year-old German national — had killed himself adjacent a reservoir successful bluish Munich.

That came aft he had group his family location alight owed to a home conflict and issued a explosive threat against Oktoberfest, according to nan authorities.

The brew show had been closed connected Wednesday greeting but was group to reopen astatine 5:30 p.m. aft constabulary completed a information expanse and recovered thing suspicious.

The suspect, who lived successful nan municipality of Starnberg southbound of Munich, had been carrying a backpack containing an explosive device, according to police.

Authorities said nan blast earlier dawn successful bluish Munich astatine a residential building — which had been deliberately group connected occurrence — appeared connected to a family dispute.

The suspect's 81-year-old mother and 21-year-old daughter, who is simply a German-Brazilian dual national, were injured and had been hospitalised for treatment, constabulary said.

Specialised teams were called to nan segment to defuse booby traps successful nan residential building. Photos from nan area besides showed a burned-out van connected nan street.

During nan first probe, a missive by nan fishy recovered adjacent nan crime segment contained a "non-specific" threat of explosives related to Oktoberfest, according to authorities.

Photographs from nan Oktoberfest grounds showed constabulary successful fluorescent vests operating nearly-barren pavement adjacent roller coasters and different rides and attractions that are portion of nan world’s largest brew festival, which usually attracts up to 6 cardinal visitors.

Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said searches were conducted pinch sniffer dogs and tech devices astatine nan site. More than 500 officers were deployed.

This year's Oktoberfest began connected 20 Sept and is group to extremity connected Sunday.

Decades ago, Oktoberfest was nan target of a deadly neo-Nazi attack. A bombing connected 26 Sept 1980, killed 13 people, including 3 children and nan attacker, student Gundolf Koehler, a protagonist of a banned far-right group. More than 200 group were wounded.