At least one person has been killed and 16 injured, “some seriously”, after a vehicle suspected of driving into a crowd near Berlin’s annual pride event, Christopher Street Day (CSD), on Saturday night, police said.
“We believe a vehicle entered Tiergarten Park and struck several people,” police said on social media.
Berlin’s CSD is one of Europe’s largest pride events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. It attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year.
What do we know about the events of the Berlin CSD event?
A police spokesman said three of the 16 injured had suffered “life-threatening injuries”. Florian Nath told reporters at the scene.
He said more than 2,200 personnel were involved in the police response, including officers from Hamburg and other federal states.
It was not clear whether the culprit was one or multiple, Nath confirmed, adding that the search was on. No arrests have been made yet.
The vehicle in question is a white minivan or compact SUV, he said.
DW journalists at the scene in Berlin said police officers armed with machine guns were patrolling the streets of the German capital.
Berlin mayor, Chancellor Merz condemn ‘horrible’ act
Police have not commented on whether the incident was intentional Or if CSD was the goal.
However, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, who visited the scene, described it as “an attack on our free and open society”.
“AAfter a peaceful and colorful CSD, a tolerant and peaceful Berlin assembly was attacked in the most brutal manner. Berlin is a city of freedom and today our freedoms have been attacked in the most terrible way,” Wegner said on X.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also condemned it, calling it a “horrible act”.
In a statement, Merz said he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt would ensure that “this horrific act is thoroughly investigated and punished.”
“Today is a day of great mourning for the queer community,” said Alfonso Pentisano, Queer Berlin liaison officer and LGBTQ+ activist.
Pride parade participants told to ‘please go home’
Thousands of people took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday to advocate for tolerance and diversity, culminating in concerts at the Brandenburg Gate.
The program was stopped at around 10:15 pm and the performance of a band was interrupted. Authorities urged people to “please go home” and avoid routes through the Tiergarten.
The CSD parade ends on 17 June Street, which runs from Berlin’s Tiergarten to the Brandenburg Gate. The gate has been the venue for concerts since Friday.
Berlin’s CSD was first held in 1979, making it Germany’s oldest pride event.
It has evolved from a small protest into a major fixture of the city’s cultural and political calendar.
This is a developing story. more to come…
Edited by: Zack Crellin
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