A suspected Islamist attack on Berlin’s Christopher Street Day parade has left one woman dead and at least 25 others injured, as German police launched an intensive manhunt for a 21-year-old fugitive named Abdul B.
The white van ploughed into a crowd in Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate, at around 10pm on Saturday. Witnesses described the vehicle swerving onto a path before crashing into a tree. The driver then emerged and “let loose on passers-by” with a machete, according to Germany’s interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt.
“A suspected Islamist attack on Berlin Pride left one dead and 25 injured; police hunt 21-year-old Abdul B.”
“Everything indicates that we are dealing with an Islamist terrorist attack,” Dobrindt told reporters. One victim died at the scene; three others are in a life-threatening condition, and eight were seriously injured, Berlin fire brigade said.
Police identified the suspect early on Sunday. “He is known to us as a member of the Islamist scene here in Berlin,” said police spokesperson Florian Nath, adding that “we still have no information whatsoever regarding his specific motives”. The wanted notice warned the public to avoid “direct contact” with Abdul B, describing him as “armed and dangerous”, 6ft 2in, of slim build, wearing a black hoodie and white trousers.
Authorities said the suspect may not have acted alone. “One or more individuals are believed to have fled the vehicle,” police noted. Officers raided his apartment in the Tiergarten district and are scouring the tunnels and platforms at Anhalter train station, near the scene.
Abdul B, a German citizen with Lebanese background, had previously tried to join the Islamic State group, German media reported. He was arrested on his return from Lebanon in 2025, served pre-trial detention until May 2026, and was ordered to undergo a deradicalisation programme.
The attack forced organisers to cut short one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations. A Michael Jackson performance was abruptly halted, and the word “Evacuation” flashed onto a screen as crowds streamed out of the park.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned “a heinous act” and promised it “will be investigated and pursued with the utmost severity”. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he was “horrified” and spoke to Germany’s foreign minister “to convey the UK’s solidarity”.
The search for Abdul B continues across Berlin, with officers from several German states joining the operation. Police have not yet established the exact sequence of events or his role in the crime.