At least one person was killed and 16 others were injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd attending the Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations in central Berlin. The attack took place shortly before 10 p.m. near the Brandenburg Gate in the Tiergarten district, where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered for one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ events.
The vehicle struck pedestrians before coming to a stop, while the driver fled the scene. German police immediately launched a large-scale manhunt and later identified the main suspect as a 21-year-old man believed to have links to Islamist extremism. Investigators are also examining whether anyone else may have assisted in the attack.
Authorities said several victims suffered life-threatening injuries, while investigators are also examining reports that some people sustained stab wounds after the vehicle stopped. German prosecutors are treating the incident as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack while the investigation into the motive continues.
Following the tragedy, organisers cancelled the remainder of the Pride celebrations, and police sealed off the area as forensic teams examined the scene. Hundreds of emergency responders were deployed while authorities urged witnesses to come forward with any information that could help the investigation.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the incident as an attack on the city’s freedom and diversity. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also condemned the violence, promising that those responsible would be found and brought to justice. Memorial gatherings have since been organised across Berlin in honour of the victim and in support of those injured.
