Reactions to Berlin CSD Attack: 'What a heinous act'

Politicians from across the German political spectrum have voiced deep dismay and outrage following a car attack that disrupted the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade in Berlin. The incident, which saw a vehicle plow into a crowd, has been widely condemned as an assault on the values of tolerance and diversity that the CSD celebration represents.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the act as an "attack on our open society, on our way of living and living together." Speaking at a Hindu community event, he expressed being "shaken and horrified by the suspected attack on the Christopher Street Day in Berlin, where hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world wanted to celebrate peacefully and set a sign for tolerance and diversity, for a self-determined and equal life."

Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the event "a heinous act in Berlin," emphasizing that the CSD parade was a peaceful celebration of tolerance. He pledged that the perpetrators would be "cleared up and prosecuted with the utmost severity." Matthias Miersch, parliamentary leader of the SPD, shared his personal connection to the CSD, stating, "As a gay man, I know what this day stands for: for freedom, for equal rights, for the right to simply be yourself. All of that was attacked in a heinous way in Berlin." He also called for a thorough investigation.

Other political figures, including from the AfD, Greens, Left Party, FDP, and BSW, also reacted strongly. AfD politician Martin Hess criticized the government's security policies, questioning how an individual known to security services could commit such an act. The Greens expressed shock and sadness, focusing on apprehending suspects and uncovering networks. Sahra Wagenknecht of BSW pointed to what she called Germany's "serious Islamism problem," attributing the attack to a "policy of denial and looking away."