Berlin Pride van ramming likely an 'Islamist terror attack' carried out by German citizen, official says

Summary

A massive manhunt is under way in Germany after a suspected "Islamist terror attack" at a Berlin Pride event on Saturday night
One woman is dead and at least 29 injured after a van drove into a crowd - multiple people were then stabbed with a blade that "might have been a machete"
A suspect has been named by police as Abdul Ballout; a German citizen of Lebanese background who was known to police and had previously "committed a number of crimes"
"We cannot rule out the possibility of copycat attacks," warns Germany's interior minister, as he announces that the country's threat level will be raised
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says extremists "have no place in our society", vowing to do everything in the government's power to see justice served
Berlin should have woken up this morning with a massive hangover after a great party. Instead, it woke up to the sobering realisation of yet another deadly attack hitting the country, writes our reporter in Berlin

Live Reporting

Edited by Tinshui Yeung and Craig Hoyle, with Michael Steininger reporting from Berlin

Queer community stages impromptu protest at Brandenburg Gatepublished at 16:46 BST
Michael Steininger
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The sign, translated, reads: "From grief, to anger, to resistance"
It is day one after what is now being described as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack on Berlin’s Pride parade last night.
The queer community, which had turned up in huge numbers yesterday, is reeling - and some of them returned to the Brandenburg Gate today for an impromptu demonstration.
The speakers did not hold back with their grief and their anger.
They condemned extremism in all its manifestations, but they also criticised the government for a lack of support, singling out recent budget cuts for queer organisations.
The addressee of that message happened to be right on the other side of the gate - Chancellor Friedrich Merz gave a statement in which he stressed that Germans would not be intimidated by acts of terrorism, and that they would defend their liberal and tolerant way of life.
Federal prosecutor to take over investigation, says justice ministerpublished at 16:33 BST
German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig says that the federal public prosecutor general will take over the investigation into Saturday night's attack.
"Of course, we will pursue those responsible with the full force of the law and bring them to justice," she says, adding that the interior minister "has already stated that this was an Islamist attack".
The federal prosecutor general is responsible for prosecutions in serious cases, including terrorism.

Multiple people taken into police custody - German mediapublished at 16:20 BST
Police have taken several people into custody in relation to the attack, according to German media.
Citing police spokesman Florian Nath, outlets including Die Zeit report that some of those taken into custody have now been released, while others remain held.
Nath reportedly told journalists that if police cannot assign suspicions of a crime to those detained, then they must be released within 48 hours.
As we heard from police earlier, it's still unclear if the suspect named as Abdul Ballout is believed to have acted alone, or with accomplices.
Sunflowers, candles and signs left in tribute at Berlin parkpublished at 16:08 BST
People have been leaving flowers, candles, and messages near the scene of the attack in Berlin's Tiergarten park.
One sign reads: "wir sind wütend traurig", which translates to "we are angry and sad".
Another says "liebe siegt" ("love conquers all").
Image source, Reuters
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Image source, Reuters

Police removing van believed to have been used in attackpublished at 15:52 BST
New pictures from Berlin show the van believed to have been used in the attack being loaded onto a truck.
Earlier images from the scene showed the vehicle in Tiergarten park, where it appeared to have collided with a tree.
Police say the suspect used a vehicle to ram a crowd in Saturday night's attack, which killed one woman and injured at least 29 others.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
At memorial service, pastor urges congregation to 'work against hate'published at 15:42 BST
Image source, Getty Images
We're now listening to the service being held inside St Mary's Church in Berlin - Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke briefly outside a short while ago and sits watching.
To a full congregation, the priest encourages those in attendance to "work against hate and not let that deter us".
He says they need to "be here for love, to think of the victims of the attack" and their loved ones.
The priest explains people will have a chance to light a candle and include a personal message.
You can watch live above.

Four attack victims in intensive care, says Berlin hospitalpublished at 15:35 BST
A hospital in Berlin has confirmed that four of the people injured in the attack on Saturday are being treated in intensive care units.
In a post on social media, the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin says it treated eight people injured in the attack and that four patients have been discharged.
It also confirmed no one in the hospital is in a life-threatening condition.
Earlier, Germany's interior minister confirmed at least 29 people had been injured in the attack.
Image source, Getty Images
'These extremists have no place in our society' - German chancellorpublished at 15:22 BST
Merz then addresses participants in Pride events, appealing to them not to be intimidated.
"These attacks only have one goal," he says: to "divide our society" and take away "openness and freedom".
Officials will do everything in their power to arrest the perpetrator or perpetrators, Merz says, adding that they will "act decisively but also thoughtfully".
"These extremists have no place in our society," he goes on, saying Germany will not allow the "poison of terrorism" to affect its society.
"We will defend the freedom and openness of our lives," the chancellor says.
Merz has now finished his brief remarks.

Merz thanks first responders for their 'exemplary' speedpublished at 15:18 BST
Merz begins by saying it is a "very sad occasion" that brings people here.
His thoughts are with the victims and loved ones of the "Islamist terrorist attack last night".
He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
The chancellor then thanks the first responders for their "exemplary" fast response.
"They prevented things from getting worse yesterday," he adds.
Chancellor Merz giving update on attackpublished at 15:15 BST
Breaking
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is delivering an update following last night's deadly attack in Berlin.
He's speaking in front of St. Mary's Church, where a service is being held in tribute to the attack's victims.
You can watch live above, and we'll bring you updates here.

Police search apartment reportedly linked to attackpublished at 15:08 BST
New pictures from Berlin show police searching an apartment, which Reuters and AFP say is connected to the Pride attack on Saturday night.
The property is on Bissingzeile street in the Tiergarten neighbourhood, not far from where the attack happened.
The search for the suspect is still under way. Police have named him as Abdul Ballout, but say it remains unclear whether the alleged attacker had accomplices.
More than a thousand officers have been working on the case since last night, police say.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
How the attack unfolded on Saturday nightpublished at 15:03 BST
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Armed police stand near the scene of the attack in Berlin on Saturday night
Officials revealed more details about last night's attack in a press conference a short while ago. Here's what we now know about how it unfolded.
The attack started shortly before 22:00 local time (21:00 BST).
The suspect first "rammed into a crowd with a car", killing one person and severely injuring others, according to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.
The suspect then launched a knife attack with "some type of blade" - Dobrindt says it might have been a machete. Other victims were "severely injured" in the knife attack.
The incident did not take place inside the Pride event but a few hundred metres away, Dobrindt says.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner says there was a "high level of security", meaning the perpetrator wasn't able to access the festival site itself.
One person has died and 29 are injured, some of them seriously, Dobrindt says.

What we know so far about the Pride attack suspectpublished at 14:49 BST
Image source, Berlin Police
Abdul Ballout has been named as the main suspect in the Berlin Pride attack that killed a woman and injured at least 29 others.
Here is what we know about him so far:
- Ballout had already been known to police and had committed a number of crimes
- He was previously given a sentence of one year and 10 months in prison in Berlin, but the sentence was reduced to parole
- German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says Ballout was known for being part of the "Islamic scene" and had previously been radicalised
- He is a German citizen with a Lebanese background
- Ballout was born in Germany in 2004 and his mother was naturalised as a German citizen in 2002
Still not clear if alleged attacker had accomplices - Berlin policepublished at 14:41 BST
We're now getting translated remarks from Florian Nath, the Berlin police spokesperson who has been speaking to reporters.
Nath says that one or more suspects were involved in the attack, and there are many possibilities.
"We don't know what supporters were involved or accomplices," he explains.
Nath adds that more than a thousand police officers have been working on the case since Saturday night.

Crowd gathers for vigil near site of attackpublished at 14:29 BST
A large vigil is taking place at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, a short distance from where last night's ramming and stabbing happened.
People can be seen holding various Pride flags while music plays, as they stand together in the wake of the deadly attack.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Berlin police now giving an update to reporterspublished at 14:12 BST
Image source, AP
We're now hearing from Florian Nath, a spokesperson for Berlin police.
He is giving an update to the press in German, we will bring you any relevant lines.

Police searching for suspect in train stations, airports and border crossingspublished at 14:09 BST
Michael Steininger
Reporting from Berlin
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters in Berlin that last night’s attack on the Berlin Pride march was with high probability an act of Islamist terrorism.
The suspect is a 21-year-old German national with Lebanese roots, named Abdul Ballout.
The suspect, who has an extensive criminal past, is on the run, a massive manhunt is underway with police searching train stations, airports and border crossings.
One person died and at least 29 people were injured, according to Dobrindt.
Several people were severely injured when they were rammed by the van, others when Ballout exited the car and attacked them with a machete.
The minister pointed out that the attack took place outside the perimeter of the Pride event.
What we learned from the mayor and interior ministerpublished at 13:56 BST
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner says the incident was an "alleged Islamist attack on our way of living together"
We’ve just been hearing from Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner. Here’s what we learned:
- The death toll remains at one, and 29 people are believed to be injured, some seriously
- The suspect first "rammed into a crowd with a car", killing one person, then "attacked the crowd with some type of blade", which could have been a machete
- Dobrindt said everything they’re seeing "indicates that we have experienced an Islamist terror attack"
- The suspect, who’s still on the run, has previously been known to police and has committed a number of crimes. He was radicalised and known to be part of the Islamist scene
- The mayor said there was a high level of security at the Pride event, adding that the festival site couldn’t be attacked because it was secured by police
- They’re now focused on acting "quickly as possible" to investigate the perpetrator or perpetrators, and are working with police across the nation to do so

Mayor says there was 'high level of security' at the eventpublished at 13:42 BST
The mayor says there was a "high level of security" at the Pride event.
Kai Wegner says he was asked whether the protection was sufficient, but says the festival site "was not attacked because the perpetrator wasn't able to make it there, because that had been secured by police".
However, he says that 400m from the event site, there were people on their way to or from the event, as well as others walking around.
He says they now need to act "as quickly as possible to investigate the perpetrator or perpetrators".
They’re working with police nationwide to track down the suspect.
He ends by thanking the organisers of the Pride event.
The official update is now finished - we will bring you a recap of what has been said soon.
Wegner calls incident 'alleged Islamist attack on our way of living together'published at 13:37 BST
Wegner goes on to say that the attack "is an alleged Islamist attack on our way of living together, on our liberal democracy, on our openness, on our freedom".
He says there will be a memorial service and people will walk together to Brandenburg Gate.
He says the flags are at half-mast at city hall.