Attack at Berlin Pride Parade: White Vehicle Rams Crowd, Killing 1 and Injuring 15; Chancellor Speaks Out

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed on Tuesday (26th) to punish the suspect behind a vehicle-ramming attack near the Berlin Gay Pride parade, which left one person dead and 15 injured, some in critical condition. The German government has pledged a thorough investigation and to hold the attacker accountable under the law.

According to AFP, Merz stated in a declaration that he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt will work together to 'ensure this horrifying incident is fully investigated and punished strictly according to the law.'

The attack occurred near Tiergarten Park, close to the parade's endpoint. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner posted on social media platform X that the city's 'freedom was attacked in the most terrible way,' describing the peaceful gathering for inclusion and peace in Berlin as having suffered an 'extremely brutal attack.'

Reuters reported that police said, 'According to our latest information, the vehicle entered Tiergarten Park around 10 p.m. (4 a.m. Taiwan time on the 26th), striking multiple people before crashing into a tree and coming to a stop.' 'There was no one inside the vehicle, so we are currently focusing all efforts on tracking down one or more suspects.'

Police confirmed the vehicle was white but provided no further details. German tabloid Bild, citing a witness, reported the vehicle was a van and that a man exited and fled on foot.

The suspected attack abruptly halted the event, which had drawn hundreds of thousands to Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day celebration—one of Europe's largest LGBTQ events. The parade commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York and advocates for equality, inclusion, and anti-discrimination through public demonstration.