By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian news Finland
The Berlin Pride attack killed one woman and injured at least 29 people after a van rammed into a crowd at the city’s Christopher Street Day celebration on Saturday night, German police said, with the interior minister calling it a likely Islamist terror attack.
The vehicle struck pedestrians in Tiergarten park near the Brandenburg Gate around 10 p.m., shortly after the closing rally of Berlin’s Pride march.
The driver crashed into a tree, got out, and reportedly attacked more people with a bladed weapon, believed to be a machete, before fleeing on foot.
Who Is the Berlin Pride Attack Suspect?
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt named the suspect as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese descent born in Germany.
Dobrindt said Ballout had a lengthy criminal record, had shown signs of radicalization, and had ties to the radical Islamist scene in Berlin Pride Attack.
Court records cited by German officials show Ballout received a suspended one-year-ten-month sentence tied to an earlier, failed bid to join ISIS.
Dobrindt told reporters Sunday that all available evidence pointed to an Islamist terror attack. Police said Sunday morning that Ballout remained unapprehended, with the search for him still active.
Casualties in the Berlin Pride Attac
A woman died at the scene after initial resuscitation efforts failed. Sixteen others were injured, including several with life-threatening injuries. Germany’s interior ministry put the total injury count at 29.
Eyewitness Accounts and Police Response
Witnesses described hearing a loud bang before chaos broke out, with some saying it took time to realize what was happening amid the music and celebration. Police cleared the park and ended the event early.
Officers later searched nearby wooded areas as part of the manhunt.
Key Facts
- One woman killed, 29 injured after a van struck a crowd at Berlin’s CSD Pride event, July 25, 2026
- Suspect named as Abdul Ballout, 21, German-born with Lebanese heritage
- Interior Minister Dobrindt: attack shows signs of Islamist terrorism; suspect previously convicted, radicalized
- Attacker allegedly used a machete on additional victims after the ramming
- Suspect remains at large as of Sunday; manhunt ongoing
- Berlin Pride Attack
FAQs:
Q: When did the Berlin Pride attack happen?
A: On the evening of July 25, 2026, around 10 p.m., during Berlin Pride Attack Christopher Street Day Pride celebration.
Q: Who was killed in the attack?
A: One woman died at the scene; her identity had not been released as of Sunday.
Q: Has the suspect been arrested?
A: No. Police identified him as Abdul Ballout, 21, but as of Sunday morning he remained at large.
Q: Why are authorities calling it a terrorist attack?
A: Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the suspect’s background, radicalization, and prior ties to Islamist circles indicate an Islamist terror motive.
Q: How many people were injured?
A: At least 29 people were injured, several critically.
Political Reaction
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the attack “an attack on our society” and pledged that Dobrindt and authorities would ensure it was fully investigated and punished.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said the rally for a tolerant, peaceful Berlin had been attacked in the most brutal manner following a peaceful Pride parade.
Read our full coverage of the Berlin Pride Attack and the latest on the suspect manhunt.
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