Berlin Pride attack suspect was Islamic State supporter, German media claim; 1 killed, 16 wounded | Today’s news
German authorities on Sunday launched a search for a suspect accused of driving a van into crowds at Berlin’s Pride festival in an attack that killed one woman and injured at least 16 others. According to German media, the suspect was a supporter of the Islamic State.
According to Bloomberg, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was informed of the incident late on Saturday, condemned it as “an attack on our society”.
The Italian Prime Minister and the Mayor of Berlin react
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday condemned the deadly car-ramming attack near Berlin’s Pride festival, expressing condemnation over the incident.
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The suspect, identified as an Islamic State supporter, reportedly drove a van into crowds during Berlin’s Pride festival, an act of violence linked to extremist ideologies.
German authorities launched a manhunt for the suspect and tightened security at the event, while Berlin’s mayor condemned the violence as an attack on the city’s values.
The attack left one dead and at least 16 injured, prompting the cancellation of remaining celebrations and raising concerns about safety at public events.
The suspect is 21-year-old Abdul B., who was previously convicted of preparing violent acts and tried to join the Islamic State in the past.
The incident is expected to intensify the debate over immigration in Germany as it has fueled support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party amid ongoing social tensions.
“Italy strongly condemns and opposes all forms of hatred and extremism. We stand with Germany and the German people. On behalf of the Italian government, I express solidarity and sincere condolences regarding the depressing news coming from Berlin,” Meloni said on X.
In response to the attack, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said Berlin’s freedom had been “terribly violated”.
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“After a peaceful and lively pride parade, a rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was brutally attacked. Berlin is a city of freedom – and our freedom has been horribly violated today,” he said.
Berlin Pride attack suspect
Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul B. following earlier statements that investigators had tracked down a suspect with alleged ties to Islamist groups.
According to Bild and Der Spiegel, the 21-year-old suspect, identified by police as Abdul B., traveled to the Middle East last year in a failed attempt to join the Islamic State (IS). The reports added that he was later convicted in Germany of “preparing a serious act of subversive violence”.
A suspect reportedly drove a white van into crowds gathered at a pride celebration in Berlin late Saturday in what the German government described as a “heinous act” of violence.
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Police said one or more people may have fled the vehicle after the incident. Authorities also received reports that several people had been stabbed at the scene. In the wanted notice, police warned the suspect may be armed and dangerous and urged the public to avoid “direct contact.”
The search continued throughout Berlin, with heavily armed officers deployed at the Anhalter Bahnhof subway station, according to Bild. The newspaper also reported that dozens of police officers were searching the suspect’s apartment in the Tiergarten district, which is near the scene of the attack. Investigators had previously raided another apartment in the Schöneberg district, but found no one there.
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The attack is expected to intensify the debate over immigration in Germany, an issue that has fueled growing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in recent years. According to a recent Insa poll, the AfD is currently the most popular party in the country with 28% support.
The incident occurred ahead of key state elections scheduled for September in Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The AfD is already leading opinion polls in the last two East German states.
Vehicle ramming attacks have been used repeatedly in terrorist incidents across Europe, including in Berlin, over the past decade.
Route of the Berlin Pride parade
On Saturday, security was increased along the route of the Berlin Pride parade, with a heavy police presence and the installation of protective barriers, including vehicle barriers, to prevent possible car attacks. Hundreds of thousands of participants marched through the Tiergarten park in central Berlin before gathering at the Brandenburg Gate for a final rally that included a performance by German singer Sarah Connor.
The van attack happened around 10pm in the Tiergarten area, a short distance from the closing event, prompting police to call off the rest of the celebrations.
Meanwhile, in 2016, a Tunisian man whose asylum application had been rejected drove a truck into one of the city’s busiest Christmas markets, killing 13 people. The attack sparked widespread criticism of former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door refugee policy.
Berlin’s Christopher Street Day, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots sparked by a police raid on LGBT patrons at New York’s Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, is among Europe’s largest Pride celebrations.
