Islamist drives into crowd at Berlin LGBT Pride march

One person was killed after a vehicle drove into an LGBT Pride march. Photo: RTÉ.ie

An ISIS supporter drove a vehicle into participants in a Pride march in central Berlin, killing one person and injuring at least 16 others, according to the BBC.

The attack occurred late in the evening near Tiergarten Park, where participants had gathered by the Brandenburg Gate for the final events of the Pride celebration. Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul B., who is believed to have ties to Islamist circles. German media report that he is a supporter of the terrorist group Islamic State.

Witnesses said a white van sped into the crowd shortly after 10:00 p.m. local time. According to eyewitness accounts, the vehicle came to a stop only after crashing into a tree, after which the driver fled the scene. The vehicle was later found abandoned there, police told AFP.

A large-scale manhunt is currently underway in Berlin.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed confidence in the police and security authorities, "who will be investigating with the utmost urgency." Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, for his part, described the incident as "an attack on our free and open-minded society." Pride organizers announced that all remaining events had been canceled.

As previously reported by the UOJ, lawyers in Italy have advised migrants to claim they are gay in order to obtain asylum.

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