Germany: Deadly Car and Knife Attack at Berlin LGBTQ Event Declared 'Islamist Terror'

Berlin (Terror Monitor) — German authorities have described the deadly attack at Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride event as an apparent act of Islamist terrorism, after a vehicle-ramming and stabbing assault left one woman dead and 29 people injured.

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the evidence gathered so far suggests the attack was "an Islamist terrorist attack." He confirmed that one woman was killed and 29 others were wounded.

Authorities identified the main suspect as 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin Abdul B., who remains at large. Police have issued an arrest warrant and warned that he may be armed and extremely dangerous, urging the public not to approach him and to immediately contact police with any information.

According to investigators, the suspect drove a white van into crowds gathered near the closing event of the Pride festival in Berlin's Tiergarten Park on Saturday night. After the vehicle crashed into a tree, he allegedly got out and attacked several people with a knife or knife-like weapon before fleeing the scene.

Police said the suspect had previously come to the attention of law enforcement and had links to Islamist circles in Berlin. Investigators are continuing to examine the motive behind the attack and whether anyone else was involved.

On Sunday, police raided an apartment in Berlin's Schöneberg district as part of the investigation, but the suspect was not found. Forensic teams continued collecting evidence at the scene while a large-scale manhunt remained underway.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the incident as a "horrific attack," saying extremists have no place in German society and that terrorism would not be allowed to undermine the country's freedom and democratic values. He said he and Interior Minister Dobrindt were closely overseeing the investigation and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner also condemned the attack, describing it as an assault on a peaceful event celebrating diversity, tolerance and equality.

In response to the attack, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner ordered flags at Germany's parliament building to be flown at half-mast. She said an attack on people standing for freedom, equality and diversity was an attack on Germany's democratic society and human dignity.

A memorial service for the victims is scheduled to be held at St. Marien Church in Berlin, while police continue searching for the suspect and investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The incident comes as Germany continues to face heightened security concerns following several deadly vehicle-ramming and knife attacks in recent years, renewing debate over public safety and counterterrorism measures.