Berlin Pride Under Attack: Car Rams Crowd, One Dead, 15 Wounded
A vehicle plowed into a crowd near Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade late Saturday, killing at least one person and wounding around 15 others, some seriously. The attack, which forced the event to be cut short, has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community and raised urgent questions about safety at public gatherings in Germany.
According to Berlin police, the incident occurred just before 22:00 local time in Tiergarten park, on the outskirts of the Pride celebrations. A car entered the park and struck several people. Police spokesperson Florian Nath confirmed that some survivors were seriously injured and receiving emergency treatment. The vehicle was later found abandoned in the park, and authorities are still searching for its occupants.
Police sealed off the area and instructed participants to leave. An eyewitness near the main stage at Brandenburg Gate reported that the crowd complied calmly, dispersing by around 23:00. The main stage program, scheduled to continue until midnight, was halted. At least 10 emergency vehicles were seen at the scene, with a medical tent set up in the road.
This attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting public spaces in Germany. In February 2025, a stabbing at Berlin's Holocaust memorial, just a stone's throw from Saturday's scene, left a Spanish tourist seriously injured. The perpetrator, 20-year-old Syrian Wassim Al M., was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March. In December 2024, a Saudi psychiatrist, Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, drove an SUV through a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing six and wounding over 300. He was sentenced to life in prison last month. The deadliest such attack remains the 2016 truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market, which killed 12 people.
For the Black South African community, these events resonate deeply. They echo the violence of apartheid-era attacks on gatherings and the ongoing struggle for safe spaces. The Rainbow Report stands in solidarity with Berlin's LGBTQ+ community and demands justice. We call for a thorough investigation and for authorities to address the root causes of such hate-driven violence, which often targets marginalized groups.
As we reflect on this tragedy, we remember that the fight for liberation is global. From Soweto to Berlin, our struggles are connected. We must remain vigilant and united against all forms of oppression.