A vehicle rammed into a crowd near Berlin's Pride celebrations on Saturday evening, leaving one woman dead and numerous people injured. The incident took place in the city's central Tiergarten park near the Brandenburg Gate, where a white van reportedly drove into the crowd at high speed before colliding with a tree. Some reports indicate the perpetrator may have also stabbed people with a machete before fleeing the scene on foot.
The attack disrupted the annual Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe's largest Pride events, which had drawn hundreds of thousands of people. The event was cancelled around 10:15 p.m. local time after the vehicle struck the crowd. Emergency services treated victims at the scene, noting that some injuries were life-threatening. Reports on the number of injured range from 14 to 29 people.
Berlin police have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul B., a man known to be linked to the local Islamist scene. Authorities have released a photograph of the suspect and warned the public that he may be armed and dangerous. A manhunt is currently underway to locate the fugitive.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that all evidence gathered so far points to an Islamist terrorist attack. Police are investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. In the aftermath, members of Berlin's LGBTQ community and other citizens have expressed grief, anger, and solidarity.