Terrorism fears prompt private security boom in Germany

The recent terror attacks in Germany have boosted a demand for private security, Die Welt reports.

After the series of bloody attacks that shocked the country, each festival or party is now more comfortable with having an armed guard, the newspaper says.

Parties that used not to be guarded now want security. And even those that had security guards in the past ask for more.

“We’ve had several requests for armed guards this week. Everyone is nervous at the moment. Since the last attacks, demand has boomed,” said the manager of one security firm in Bavaria.

However, requests for armed personnel are being widely rejected, as events need special permission from state authorities to provide armed guards. Such permission is rarely granted.

Germany saw several terrorism-related incidents in July.

In Munich, an 18-year-old killed nine people with a handgun in a shopping mall before killing himself.

A 27-year-old detonated a bomb in a pub in Ansbach, killing himself and injuring 15 others.

A 17-year old Afghan refugee attacked passengers on a train in Bavaria with an ax, severely wounding four people before he was killed by police.

In another case, a young Syrian refugee stabbed a co-worker in a kebab shop before attacking passersby.

More companies are also introducing 'spotter teams' - security personnel that observe the crowd. However it is unclear whether this could have prevented the attack in Ansbach, where the bomber was reported to have been walking a strange way. Spotter teams work undercover but are prohibited from carrying firearms under strict German law.

The number of people employed in security is rapidly growing in Germany. Last year, the number of employees grew more than 10 percent, according to BDSW. As of last September, 233,000 people were employed in the industry.