Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) confirmed that during Saturday evening’s attack on Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD), one woman was killed and 29 people were injured, some critically. A vehicle struck a crowd in the Tiergarten park, prompting the cancellation of the Pride event. Dobrindt classified the assault as an “Islamist terrorist attack.”
In a statement at the scene midday on Sunday, the minister reported that the presumed attacker used a van as a weapon and subsequently brandished a machete, targeting pedestrians. “I am stunned and deeply shaken,” Dobrindt said.
Mayor Kai Wegner added that the incident occurred outside the official CSD route. Although the demonstration path itself remained unobstructed, many participants gathered a few hundred metres away, either exiting the event or lingering in the area.
Hospital spokespersons from Charité noted that four patients have been discharged. Four others are receiving》《 intensive care treatment; none, at present, is in a life‑threatening condition.
Chancellor Merz to Defend Freedom in Wake of Attacks
On Sunday afternoon, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) attended a memorial service for the victims and their families at St. Mary’s Church on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz. ezing. Minister of Education Karin Prien (CDU) and Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) also joined.
Prior to the service, Merz pledged that “we will defend freedom” and that the nation would not allow terrorism and its assault on liberty to spread further.
Merz promised that authorities would expedite the pursuit of those responsible, and that the federal government would assess the attack’s implications and act with calm deliberation and determination. He stressed that perpetrators “have no place at the heart of our society” and that freedom must be protected across political lines.
Suspect Profile
The suspect, 21‑year‑old Abdul B., a German national of Lebanese origin, remains at large. Born in 2005, he has a history of offenses and is alleged to have sought travel to Syria to join the Islamic State (IS). In 2025, he was arrested at Berlin airport upon returning from Lebanon on suspicion of terrorism and held in pre‑trial detention until May 2026.
Suspect’s Participation in Deradicalisation Programme
According to the newspaper The World, Abdul blauw was enrolled in a deradicalisation counselling programme. At the time of reporting, it was undecided whether he would receive a permanent admission as he was still in the clearing phase, where authorities assess the necessity for more intensive support.
So far, he has attended two sessions, with another scheduled for the coming week. Initial consultations were voluntary. While Abdul displayed politeness and cooperation with the counsellors, doubts remained about his genuine engagement in the program.
German police issued a public warning on X not to approach the suspect, citing the possibility that he may be armed and dangerous.
