Merz vows justice after deadly Berlin Pride car attack

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to punish those responsible after a car struck people on the outskirts of Berlin's Gay Pride celebrations, killing at least one person and wounding 16 others. The attack forced organizers to cut short one of Europe's largest Pride events.

“

A vehicle entered the Tiergarten park and hit several people.

Police believe the car entered the Tiergarten park and hit several people just before 10:00 pm local time on Saturday. They are hunting for the car's occupants and have found the suspected vehicle abandoned in the park. Berlin's mayor Kai Wegner described the incident as a "gathering for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin has been most brutally attacked."

The Gay Pride event, known as Christopher Street Day in Germany, was cut short. Police instructed participants to leave the area and sealed it off. An eyewitness near the main Pride stage at Brandenburg Gate reported that the crowd complied and moved away from the park. The program at the main stage was scheduled to continue until midnight.

“

A gathering for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin has been most brutally attacked.

Germany has experienced several violent attacks in public spaces in recent years. These include a stabbing at Berlin's Holocaust memorial in February 2025 and a deadly Christmas market attack in 2024 where a man drove an SUV through a crowd, killing six people and injuring over 300. The perpetrator of the Christmas market attack was identified as an anti-Islam activist.

“

go home, please