A white van plowed into a crowd of people attending Berlin’s renowned LGBTQ+ pride celebration on Saturday evening, claiming one life and leaving at least 15 others injured — some of them critically. The attack prompted authorities to shut down the festivities and cancel a live concert in the German capital.
Police confirmed that several of the injured were in life-threatening condition. A large number of firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene to treat the victims.
Officers took to social media platform X, urging everyone at the event to leave the area right away.
Authorities said the white van had entered Tiergarten park — located just off the route the pride parade had traveled earlier in the day — and struck multiple people before crashing into a tree. Police described the law enforcement presence at the scene as “definitely a lot of police” and confirmed they were actively searching for those responsible.
“We are conducting an intensive search for possible suspects,” police officer Florian Nath stated in a brief video posted to the Berlin police account on X.
The celebration, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day, had drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors to Berlin. It is considered one of the largest LGBTQ+ events in all of Europe.
The outdoor event near the city’s iconic Brandenburg Gate in downtown Berlin was brought to a halt around 10:15 p.m., with a band’s performance cut short mid-show. Attendees were told to head home and to steer clear of any paths leading through the park.
Before the van struck the crowd, the atmosphere had been joyful and peaceful. Participants had spent hours marching through city streets, dancing to music, and cheering on approximately 80 floats that took part in the parade.
