A car driven by a man of Lebanese origin ploughed into a crowd of participants at an LGBT Pride march in Berlin as they were taking part in the annual event celebrating LGBT identity.
The attack took place in the Tiergarten district, near the Brandenburg Gate. According to media reports, one woman was killed and 16 others were injured. Three victims remain in critical condition, while eight suffered serious injuries.
Police said the vehicle crashed into a tree after striking the crowd. The driver and possibly other occupants then abandoned the car and fled the scene. Investigators are examining eyewitness reports suggesting that the attackers may have used machetes or knives to assault victims after the crash. Authorities believe the Pride participants were deliberately targeted.
During the investigation, Berlin police identified the main suspect as 21-year-old Abdul B., a German citizen of Lebanese origin. According to official information, he is known to police because of alleged links to the Islamist scene in Berlin. The suspect is approximately 1.90 metres tall and was released from a juvenile detention facility in May 2026. German media report that the vehicle used in the attack had been rented by Abdul B.
A large-scale manhunt was launched across Berlin immediately after the attack. More than 2,200 police officers have been deployed, supported by helicopters and thermal imaging equipment. Although the motive has not yet been officially established, authorities have urged the public not to approach the suspect, warning that he may be armed and dangerous.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the incident as a “heinous crime” and pledged that those responsible would be brought to justice.
“Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world peacefully celebrated Christopher Street Day. They wanted us to treat one another with kindness and tolerance. This was an attack on our society,” Merz wrote on social media.
He also stressed that Germany would continue to defend its identity as an open and free country.
Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner likewise condemned the attack.
“After a peaceful and colourful Pride event, this gathering in support of a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal way.”
He described the incident as “an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society” and expressed confidence that police and security services would continue working around the clock to identify and apprehend those responsible.
As part of the investigation, police searched the suspect’s apartment in the Schöneberg district. Reports of an explosion during the operation were later denied. Officers found nobody inside the apartment, and no arrests were made.
Meanwhile, a separate incident occurred in the same district when unknown individuals reportedly fired at Pride participants with an air-powered weapon, injuring four people. Police have stated that this incident is not connected to the main attack.
