One person has died and at least 15 others have been injured after a vehicle drove into crowds attending Berlin’s annual Pride celebrations, triggering a major emergency response and a police manhunt. The incident happened at around 10pm on Saturday 25 July near Tiergarten Park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered for Christopher Street Day (CSD) – one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride events. According to initial reports, a van entered the crowd at speed before the driver fled the scene on foot. German police launched an intensive search for those responsible before later confirming one suspect had been apprehended. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the incident was deliberate, and investigations remain ongoing. Emergency services, including police, firefighters and paramedics, rushed to the scene, where multiple casualties were treated. Local reports indicate one person has died, while 15 others were injured, several of them critically. Officials have not yet released further details about the victims. The annual Pride celebrations were immediately brought to an end, with organisers instructing thousands of attendees to leave the area calmly. A message shared by organisers urged people to avoid the Tiergarten and Victory Column area and make their way towards Berlin’s main railway station. In an initial statement, Berlin Police said: “We believe that a vehicle entered the Tiergarten Park and hit several people and injured them.” The force added that officers were conducting an intensive search for those responsible while emergency services treated the injured. Christopher Street Day is Germany’s largest annual LGBTQ+ celebration, commemorating the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York, and attracts hundreds of thousands of participants each year from across Europe. The event had begun with a parade through the German capital before concluding with celebrations near the Brandenburg Gate when the incident occurred. Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident or captured footage to come forward as the investigation continues. Authorities have not yet released further details on a possible motive.
