At least one person was killed and 16 were injured, “some seriously”, after a vehicle plowed 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?
police spokesperson florian nath A suspect has been identified who was known to police and “is believed to be linked to the Islamic scene in Berlin.”
It was not clear whether there were other culprits. No arrests have been made yet.
Of the 16 injured, three suffered “life-threatening injuries”. 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.
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.
Police said Sunday morning that the Tiergarten was closed and that the evacuation of the area was “slowly winding down.”
“We are now piecing together the facts based on the evidence found at the scene. The scope of the search covers the entire city,” Nath said. “We need to use the daylight tomorrow to examine the evidence carefully.”
Berlin mayor, Chancellor Merz condemn ‘horrible’ act
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, who visited the scene, described the incident 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.”
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. Its name comes from Christopher Street – the site of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City.
CSD has since grown from a small protest to a major component of the city’s cultural and political calendar.
Edited by: Zack Crellin
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