Merz: An attack on our society
A vehicle drove into a crowd during Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebrations. One person was killed and several others were injured.
Berlin (d.de, dpa) – At around 10 p.m. on Saturday evening, a vehicle ploughed into a crowd on the sidelines of the Christopher Street Day (CSD) celebrations in Berlin. One woman was killed. Sixteen other people were injured – some of them critically, according to a spokesperson for the Berlin police. The perpetrator is still at large, and police have already identified a suspect. He is known to the police and is believed to have links to the Islamist scene. The exact sequence of events and the motive remain unclear.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the attack as “abhorrent” and “an attack on our society”. “Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world celebrated peacefully at Christopher Street Day. They wanted to show that we should treat one another with kindness and tolerance. We are open-minded and cherish freedom – and we will continue to uphold and defend these values. This crime will be fully investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I wish those injured a speedy recovery and thank all the emergency services.”
Berlin’s Christopher Street Day is one of Europe’s largest demonstrations for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer people. An estimated several hundred thousand people took part in CSD 2026 under the slogan “Conviction is hot”, demonstrating for diversity and against hostility towards queer people. The incident occurred towards the end of a two-day stage programme at Brandenburg Gate, which was held for the first time this year.
