Berlin Pride Attack: Van Ramming Leaves One Dead and 29 Injured
One woman was killed and at least 29 others injured when a van was driven into a crowd at Berlin’s annual Pride celebration on Saturday night.
The incident, occurring around 22:00 local time (20:00 GMT) in Tiergarten park near the Brandenburg Gate, forced organisers to cancel the event and order an immediate evacuation of the crowd. Witnesses report that the vehicle crashed into a tree after the impact, and a blade—likely a machete—was used to stab several attendees.
Police confirmed that the suspect, 21‑year‑old Abdul Ballout, was shot and killed in an operation in Spandau, West Berlin, after he rushed at officers with a knife.
Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese descent, had a history of radicalisation and criminal offences. In May 2025 he travelled to Lebanon with the intention of joining the Islamic State; he was later arrested and sentenced in Germany for preparing a serious act of violence. The investigation revealed Islamist links, prompting authorities to widen the search across the city and deploy thousands of officers.
European leaders reacted swiftly: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the attack “heinous,” EU President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the event’s values of freedom and dignity, and UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting described the incident as “absolutely horrific.”
The attack has raised urgent calls for heightened security at public gatherings, particularly those that celebrate diversity, and for continued vigilance against Islamist extremism across Europe.
