Berlin Pride turns tragic as car hits crowd, 1 dead, 16 injured

BERLIN: A celebration that had drawn huge crowds to Berlin for Christopher Street Day ended in tragedy late Saturday when a vehicle drove into people near the event, killing one person and injuring at least 16 others.

The incident happened shortly after 10pm local time in the Tiergarten area, near the route of the Pride celebrations. Emergency services rushed to the scene as police launched a major operation and ordered people to leave the area.

According to police, the vehicle struck several people before the driver fled the scene. One person died, while 16 others were injured. Several victims were reported to be in serious or life-threatening condition, adding to the shock surrounding an event that had begun peacefully.

Authorities quickly called off the remaining Christopher Street Day celebrations and urged visitors to stay away from the affected area. Police and rescue teams remained deployed around Tiergarten as investigators worked to establish exactly what happened and why.

The incident also triggered an immediate search for the suspected driver. Police said they had identified a possible suspect but had not initially confirmed an arrest. German authorities were investigating the circumstances and motive behind the vehicle attack.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the incident as an attack on the city’s free and cosmopolitan society, expressing sympathy for the victims and their families. He also praised emergency responders who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also condemned the incident and pledged that those responsible would face justice.

The tragedy cast a dark shadow over one of Berlin’s biggest annual public celebrations. Christopher Street Day is both a major Pride gathering and a public demonstration for LGBTQ+ rights, equality and freedom.

What had started as a day of colorful parades, music and crowds waving rainbow flags ended with emergency vehicles filling the streets and the celebration being abruptly abandoned.

Police have urged members of the public to avoid the area while the investigation continues and to rely on official information rather than unverified reports circulating online.