Berlin: German authorities have launched a manhunt for a 21-year-old suspect following the deadly attack near Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride festival.
Police and prosecutors on July 26 issued a wanted notice identifying the suspect as Abdul B. Investigators believe he drove a vehicle into a crowd on the night of July 25 before one or more people fled the scene.
Authorities also noted that several victims appeared to have been stabbed during the incident. The public has been urged not to approach the suspect, who is considered armed and dangerous, and instead report any information on his whereabouts to police.
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Aufgrund des Verdachts eines Anschlags führen die Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Berlin und unser LKA die weiteren Ermittlungen.Nach bisherigen Erkenntnissen handelt es sich bei dem mutmaßlichen Tatverdächtigen um Abdul B..
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— Polizei Berlin (@polizeiberlin) July 26, 2026
The attack claimed one life and left at least 16 others injured, according to Berlin Fire Department spokesperson Dominik Pretz. Emergency responders established a helicopter landing zone near the Reichstag parliament building to airlift the injured to nearby hospitals.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the violence, saying he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt would ensure the ‘horrific act’ is fully investigated and those responsible are brought to justice.
CSD Pride Parade
Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in Berlin under sunny skies for the city’s annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride parade, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Berlin has hosted the event since 1979.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the assault as an attack on the city’s values of freedom and diversity. “Following a peaceful and colourful CSD, the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal manner,” Wegner wrote on X, adding that his thoughts were with the victims and their families.
For the first time, this year’s CSD celebrations began on the evening of Jul 24 with a pro-democracy rally ahead of Berlin’s state election scheduled for September. The parade was held under the slogan ‘Taking a stand is hot,’ reflecting organisers’ concerns over growing hostility toward LGBTQ+ people in Germany.
More than 80 floats and 50 walking groups took part in the procession, which passed landmarks including Potsdamer Platz and the Victory Column before concluding at the Brandenburg Gate. Earlier in the day, police arrested one person at a far-right counter-protest after they allegedly resisted officers’ instructions.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have repeatedly warned of rising attacks against queer communities in Germany. Campaigners say the increase has coincided with growing support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, as well as a rise in Islamist-inspired attacks, raising concerns over the safety of LGBTQ+ events in the country.
Berlin remains on high alert as police continue their search for the suspect, while officials reaffirm their commitment to protecting the city’s values of freedom, diversity and inclusion.
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