- A vehicle mowed down a crowd near Berlin’s Pride celebrations on Saturday evening, killing one person and injuring 17, with some in life-threatening condition, setting off a manhunt for the driver.
- The vehicle drove into the Tiergarten around 10 p.m. (2000 GMT), injuring several people, then came to a standstill after hitting a tree.
- Among the 17 injured, eight had serious injuries and three were in life-threatening condition, according to a fire brigade spokesperson.
- Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered peacefully for the annual Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ events, before the apparent attack brought it to an abrupt end.
- The vehicle was described as white, possibly a car, minivan, or minibus, and was empty when it came to a stop.
- A witness reported that a man emerged from the vehicle and fled on foot.
One person was killed and 17 others injured, several critically, when a vehicle ploughed into a crowd at Berlin's Pride celebrations on Saturday evening. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. in Tiergarten park, where hundreds of thousands had gathered for the annual Christopher Street Day event.
Witnesses reported that the vehicle, described as a white minivan, struck multiple people before coming to a stop after hitting a tree. Among the injured, eight suffered serious injuries, with three in life-threatening condition, according to a fire brigade spokesperson.35
Authorities launched a manhunt for the driver, who fled the scene on foot. Police have identified a suspect linked to the Islamist scene in Berlin, but no arrests have been made yet. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the incident as an attack on the city’s values, stating, "It is an attack on our free and open society." The event was abruptly called off, with emergency services urging attendees to leave the area.
This incident is part of a troubling trend in Germany, which has seen a series of vehicle-ramming attacks since 2016, raising security concerns at public events. Germany has experienced numerous vehicle-ramming incidents since the 2016 attack at Berlin's Breitscheidplatz Christmas market, leading to heightened security at public gatherings nationwide.
The motives behind such attacks vary, prompting ongoing debates about public safety and security measures in the country.
“The white vehicle entered Berlin's Tiergarten around 10 p.m., hit a tree, and was found empty, police said. Hundreds of thousands had gathered for the annual Christopher Street Day parade, which ended abruptly as attendee Julian Methig called it 'one of the worst days for the queer community.'”
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