Berlin Pride Attack: Merz Vows Justice, One Dead
BERLIN, Germany — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised swift justice Sunday after a car plowed into a crowd near Berlin’s Gay Pride celebrations, killing at least one person and wounding 16 others. The attack forced organizers to cut short one of Europe’s largest Pride events, and it comes as Germany remains on edge after a string of deadly vehicle and knife attacks in recent years.
“A vehicle entered the Tiergarten park and hit several people” just before 10 p.m. Saturday, police posted on social media. They are still hunting for the occupants of the car. Berlin fire department spokesman Dominik Pretz confirmed one death and 16 injuries. Police later found the suspected vehicle abandoned in the Tiergarten park.
Merz said in a statement early Sunday that he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt were being kept informed of the investigation into the “horrific act.” Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner called it a “brutal attack on a gathering for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin.” The Gay Pride event was cut short, and police told participants to “go home, please,” sealing off the area where people were hurt.
An eyewitness near the main Pride stage at Brandenburg Gate said the crowd complied and moved away from the park. The stage program had been scheduled to run until midnight. An AFP journalist saw at least 10 emergency vehicles and a tent set up on the roadway, with police patrols moving through the vast park.
What Happened at Berlin Pride?
Earlier Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people took part in Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s biggest Pride events. The march ended near the Brandenburg Gate, which had been hosting concerts since Friday. The attack struck on the outskirts of these celebrations, casting a shadow over what was meant to be a day of joy and unity.
Germany’s History of Violent Attacks
Germany has seen several violent attacks in public spaces in recent years. In February 2025, a stabbing at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial, just a stone’s throw from Saturday’s scene, seriously injured a Spanish tourist. A Syrian man named only as Wassim Al M. was jailed for 13 years in March for that attack, with the court finding he acted in the name of the Islamic State group.
Last month, Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, a 51-year-old Saudi psychiatrist, was sentenced to life in prison for killing six people and wounding more than 300. He drove a rented SUV through a crowded Christmas market in 2024 in the eastern city of Magdeburg. Abdulmohsen was an anti-Islam activist, and his testimony was sometimes incoherent, riddled with conspiracy theories and fringe far-right ideas.
The deadliest such attack in recent years was a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12 people. Saturday’s attack, while smaller in scale, has reignited fears about public safety in Germany.
What Does This Mean for the Philippines?
For us here in the Philippines, this story hits close to home. Our own Pride celebrations in Manila, Cebu, and Davao have grown larger each year, reflecting a more open and diverse society. But we also know the pain of violence at public gatherings, from bombings in Mindanao to political rallies turned bloody. This attack reminds us that safety and tolerance must go hand in hand. As a nation with deep Catholic roots, we pray for the victims and their families, and we stand with Berlin in condemning this act of hatred.
How Are Authorities Responding?
German police are still searching for the occupants of the car. Merz has vowed to punish those responsible, and the investigation is ongoing. The attack has sparked debates about security at large public events, with calls for tighter measures. But for now, Berlin mourns, and the world watches.
As Manny Pacquiao would say, we must stay courageous in the face of fear. This attack cannot break the spirit of Pride, which is about love, acceptance, and the fight for equality. Let us keep Berlin in our prayers, and let us continue to build a world where everyone can gather in peace.