Vehicle rams crowd at Berlin Pride event, killing one and injuring several

Berlin's Christopher Street Day celebrations were shattered Saturday evening when a vehicle drove into a crowd near Potsdamer Platz, resulting in at least one fatality and multiple injuries. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. in the Tiergarten, a popular park and gathering spot for the LGBTQ+ community.

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It is an attack on our free and open society - after a peaceful and colorful CSD, the assembly for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal way.

Police have found the vehicle abandoned and are actively searching for suspects. While authorities have not yet confirmed the motive, Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner described the event as a brutal attack on the city's free and open society. "Berlin is the city of freedom - and our freedom has been terribly attacked today," Wegner stated, emphasizing that it was too early to label it a terrorist act but suggesting it was not a mere accident.

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Berlin is the city of freedom - and our freedom has been terribly attacked today.

Pop star Sarah Connor, who was scheduled to perform at the event's closing rally, expressed her devastation. "I am speechless, I find it terrible," she said in an Instagram video, extending her condolences to those affected. International media, including the BBC and The New York Times, are reporting on the shocking news from "Berlin Pride."

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I am speechless, I find it terrible.

Investigators are also examining whether a stabbing weapon was used, indicating a potential second phase to the attack after the vehicle impact. Police spokesperson Florian Nath later announced that a suspect had been identified, described as a man known to police and associated with the Islamist scene in Berlin. The incident has cast a pall over the city's vibrant Pride celebrations, leaving attendees in shock and fear.

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It is part of the investigation whether there was a second phase of the act after the driving phase.