One person was killed and up to 17 others were injured after a white van ploughed into a crowd celebrating Berlin Pride (Christopher Street Day) in Germany on Saturday night, July 25, 2026.

 

One killed and 15 injured after van crashes into crowd at Berlin Pride

One person was killed and up to 17 others were injured after a white van ploughed into a crowd celebrating Berlin Pride (Christopher Street Day) in Germany on Saturday night, July 25, 2026.

The Incident

The crash occurred just before 10:00 PM local time at the edge of the Tiergarten park, situated near the iconic Brandenburg Gate in downtown Berlin. Eyewitnesses reported that a white van drove into the park at high speed, striking several pedestrians before colliding with a tree. Reports indicate that after the vehicle came to a standstill, a man exited the vehicle and allegedly attacked several people with a knife or bladed weapon before fleeing the scene on foot. Multiple survivors are currently being treated for severe, life-threatening injuries and stab wounds.

Police Response and Manhunt

• Active Manhunt: Berlin police have recovered the abandoned white van inside Tiergarten park and have launched an intensive, large-scale search to locate and identify the fleeing suspect or suspects.
• Event Cancellation: Following the incident, authorities immediately called off the remainder of the Pride celebrations and a live concert in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
• Evacuation: Police cordoned off a vast area between Potsdamer Platz and the south side of the Tiergarten tunnel, urging hundreds of thousands of attendees to immediately return home and avoid all routes cutting through the park.
• Motive Unknown: A spokesperson for the Berlin police stated that the driver's identity and underlying motives remain entirely unknown, and authorities have cautioned the public against premature speculation. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner publicly condemned the tragedy, calling it "an attack on our free and open-minded society".