Deadly Incident at Berlin's LGBTQ Parade
A devastating incident occurred at Berlin's LGBTQ parade, also known as Christopher Street Day, when a car reportedly drove into a crowd, resulting in one fatality and 17 injuries. The incident took place in Tiergarten park, near the route of the Pride march, prompting police to immediately call off the event.
According to German police, the vehicle struck several people, with some of the victims suffering life-threatening injuries. Police were quick to respond, urging everyone to leave the premises and launching an intensive search for the suspects.
'We are conducting an intensive search for suspects,' said police spokesman Florian Nath.
Emergency services treated the injured at the scene, while police officers searched for evidence in the area between Potsdamer Platz and the southern side of the Tiergarten tunnel.
The incident has sparked outrage, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowing to punish the perpetrators. In a statement, he expressed his commitment to fully investigating and punishing those responsible for the 'horrific act.' Berlin mayor Kai Wegner also condemned the attack, stating that 'freedom has come under attack in the most horrific way.'
The Pride parade, which is one of Europe's largest LGBTQ celebrations, had attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the city. Despite the incident, the overall mood of the event had been peaceful, with people marching through the city, dancing to music, and cheering on the approximately 80 floats that participated in the parade. The event was eventually called off, with people urged to go home and avoid traveling through Tiergarten park.