Waste collection services clean the street in front of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin yesterday, one day after the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade.
German police searched yesterday for a 21-year-old believed linked to Islamist circles after a car ploughed into crowds near Berlin’s Gay Pride celebrations, killing one person and wounding 16 others.
The incident shattered what had been a day of celebration for hundreds of thousands attending Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest Pride events. Revelers fled Berlin’s most famous park as sirens echoed through the night.
Police told AFP the suspect’s vehicle was found abandoned near the Tiergarten park. They launched a manhunt involving helicopters and officers from several German states across the capital.
Police and prosecutors appealed for information on a 21-year-old man identified as Abdul B., warning he may be armed and dangerous.
The suspect was believed to have links to “Islamist circles,” police spokesman Florian Nath said earlier.
The attack occurred shortly before 10 p.m.
A vehicle like a mini-van or an SUV “entered the Tiergarten park and hit several people,” police said.
One person died and 16 others were injured, including three with life-threatening injuries, according to Berlin fire department spokesman Dominik Pretz.
Police described the suspect as slender, about 1.90 meters tall, with black hair, wearing a black hoodie and white trousers.
Investigators said several people were believed to have been wounded with stabbing weapons and that one or more people were seen leaving the vehicle after the incident.
The attack revived memories of a series of car rammings and attacks on markets that have shaken Germany in recent years and fueled a fierce debate over security.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed that those responsible for the latest incident would face justice.
