Barriers were set up to protect market visitors in Birmingham and Manchester. Photo: Sky News

Upon the one-year anniversary of the Berlin terrorist attacks that killed 12 and wounded at least 70, UK authorities are beginning to think the Christmas holiday season could be the most dangerous time of the year.

Rather than dissuading people from venturing to the markets, Birmingham police said the security measures were rolled out to reassure everyone the Christmas market is a safe place to visit.

One reporter from People’s Daily noted that some of London’s busiest areas did not have many bollards or a heavy police presence.

At the Southbank Center Wintertime Market, one of the most famous Christmas destinations in London, vendors and visitors at both markets did not appear to feel threatened by terrorism.

Crowds of people were along Oxford Street, where last month the alleged sound of a gunshot scared hundreds which later proved to be a false alarm.

Sky News reported that extra patrols, armed police, concrete bollards and metal gates were set up to protect Christmas markets in Birmingham and Manchester, the two largest Christmas markets in the UK.

People enjoy a live performance at the Southbank Center Wintertime Market. Photo: Qiang Wei

People walk along Oxford Street without anti-terrorist barricades or facilities. Photo: Qiang Wei

But the threat of terrorism remains.

“The current scale of threat facing the UK and its interests from Islamic terror groups is unprecedented,” read a statement from the UK’s Intelligence and Security Committee annual report released today.

The Internet features plenty of terrorist propaganda posted by members of IS or other terrorist groups. Any major city throughout Europe could easily be the location of the next terrorist attack.

Marketing poster presumably made by a member of IS. Photo: UKdajiatan

This year alone the UK has experienced five acts of terror. Around the beginning of December, a plan to attack UK Prime Minister Theresa May was foiled, and UK intelligence bureau MI5 and the police have prevented nine terrorist attacks during 2017. It has been reported that UK police have arrested over 400 terror-related suspects.