Arabic version: هجوم على فخر برلين يخلّف قتيلاً وعشرات المصابين
According to BBC News, one woman was killed and at least 29 people were injured after a van was driven into crowds at a Berlin Pride event on Saturday night. Officials said the incident was likely an “Islamist terror attack”. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned it as a “heinous” attack.
The attack was reported at about 22:00 local time, when police were told that a white vehicle had been driven into people attending Christopher Street Day in Tiergarten park, near the Brandenburg Gate. Hundreds of thousands had gathered for the annual event. Officials also said some people were stabbed, with a blade believed to have been a machete.
The event was cancelled shortly afterwards. Organisers went on stage to tell attendees to walk towards the exits, while the word “evacuation” was projected on a large screen. Police confirmed at about 01:00 that a woman had died and that many others had been hurt. The vehicle believed to have been used was later found after crashing into a tree and is thought to have been rented.
Police named the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese background. They said he had Islamist links and was known to police. He was later shot and killed at an allotment complex in Spandau, west Berlin, after rushing at officers with a knife. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the suspect had been radicalised.
The search involved thousands of officers, including police from surrounding German states. European leaders expressed sympathy for victims. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Pride stands for “freedom, dignity, and equality – the fundamental values of the EU”, adding that people should be able to live, love and stand up for their rights without fear.
