Berlin Pride attack: What happened and what we know so far

One person has died and at least 29 others have been injured after a vehicle was driven into crowds attending Berlin‘s Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations, in what German authorities are now treating as an Islamist terror attack. 

The incident unfolded on Saturday evening (25 July) as hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the German capital for one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride events. The suspect fled the scene after the attack but was shot dead by police during an operation in Berlin on Sunday after allegedly confronting officers with a bladed weapon. 

German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said “everything we see here indicates that this was an Islamist terror attack”, although investigators continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. 

Here’s everything we know so far.

What happened at Berlin Pride?

The attack happened shortly after 10pm local time near Berlin’s Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, where the Pride parade had concluded and large crowds were gathering for concerts and celebrations.

According to German police, a white minibus mounted the road and drove into pedestrians before crashing. Authorities say the suspect then got out of the vehicle and attacked people with a bladed weapon before fleeing on foot. Witnesses described scenes of panic as people attempted to escape while emergency services rushed to the area. 

Large sections of central Berlin were immediately cordoned off as ambulances, firefighters and heavily armed police responded.

How many people were injured?

Police say one person died at the scene.

At least 29 others were injured, including several people who remain in a life-threatening condition. Authorities have also confirmed that some victims sustained injuries caused by a bladed weapon during the attack. 

Officials have warned that casualty numbers could still change as investigations continue.

Who is the suspect?

German authorities have named the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese heritage who was already known to police and security services because of previous criminal offences and Islamist extremist activity.

Police say he fled on foot after the attack, prompting a major manhunt involving armed officers, helicopters and specialist police units.

On Sunday evening, officers located him in Berlin’s Spandau district. Police said Ballout charged at officers while armed with a bladed weapon, prompting them to open fire. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he died at the scene. 

Investigators are continuing to examine whether anyone else was involved in the attack.

Was Berlin Pride targeted?

German authorities now believe the attack was an Islamist act of terrorism, although investigators continue to examine whether Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebrations were specifically targeted because they were an LGBTQ+ event. 

The collision took place as hundreds of thousands of people gathered for Berlin’s annual Pride celebrations, one of the largest LGBTQ+ events in Europe.

Officers continue to examine witness statements, CCTV footage and forensic evidence as part of the investigation.

What is Christopher Street Day?

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.

Berlin’s CSD is among Europe’s largest Pride events, regularly attracting hundreds of thousands of participants from across Germany and around the world.

This year’s event included a parade through central Berlin, speeches, performances and political demonstrations calling for greater LGBTQ+ equality.

What happened after the attack?

Police declared a major incident and brought Pride celebrations to an immediate end.

The concert scheduled to take place after the parade was cancelled, while attendees were asked to leave the area to allow emergency services access.

Investigators spent the night examining the scene, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses before launching a citywide search for the suspect, who was located and shot dead by police on Sunday evening. 

German chancellor Friedrich Merz described the attack as an assault on Germany’s open and free society, while political leaders and LGBTQ+ organisations have expressed solidarity with the victims and the wider community.