Vigil held at rainbow-lit Brandenburg Gate following Berlin Pride attack
The monument was lit in the colours of the Pride flag, with the words “Berlin Stands Together” displayed across it
By Aaron Sugg
Following the disturbing Berlin Pride attack on 25 July 2026, a large vigil has taken place at the Brandenburg Gate, mourning the death of a victim.
As hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the German capital for one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride events, a vehicle was driven into a crowd, killing one woman and injuring at least 29 others.
The suspect, 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, fled the scene after the attack but was shot dead by police on Sunday after allegedly confronting officers with a bladed weapon.
A memorial service was held at the Evangelical St Mary’s Church (Marienkirche)
Reports also claim that others were stabbed during the event with what officials believe was a machete. Following the incident, Berlin Pride was cancelled.
A memorial service at the Evangelical St Mary’s Church (Marienkirche) followed the next day. In a display of grief and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, people carrying rainbow flags marched towards the Brandenburg Gate.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke at the Marienkirche, where he called for unity at a time that has affected the community not just in Berlin, but across the globe.
“They want to divide our society” – Friedrich Merz on the Berlin Pride attack
“These acts have only one purpose: they want to divide our society, they want to take from us the most important thing we have — namely our openness and our freedom,” Merz said.
“Do not let yourselves – and let us not – be intimidated,” he told those joining Pride marches across Germany.
The community and the victim’s loved ones laid flowers, signs, Pride flags and lit candles in an emotional display of grief outside the Brandenburg Gate.
That evening, the monument was lit in the colours of the Pride flag, with the words “Berlin Stands Together” displayed across it.
Who is the suspect?
The suspect, Ballout, was a German citizen of Lebanese heritage who was already known to police and security services because of previous criminal offences and alleged Islamist extremist activity.
German authorities believe the attack was an Islamist act of terrorism, although investigators continue to examine whether the incident was motivated by hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community.
What is Christopher Street Day?
Berlin Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day, is the name used for Pride celebrations across much of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The name commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising on New York City’s Christopher Street, widely regarded as a defining moment in the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.