A driver has ploughed into a crowd of people near Berlin’s Pride celebrations on Saturday evening, leaving several people injured, Berlin police said. 

The incident happened just hours after the event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community had begun, prompting police to call off the event in the German capital.  

Berlin Police said they, alongside emergency services, were responding to an incident in the city’s central Tiergarten Park, near the Brandenburg Gate.

‘Numerous’ people have been injured, including several with life-threatening injuries, the force’s spokesperson Florian Nath said. It is not clear how many are injured. 

At least 15 people have been injured in the crash, with one dying from their injuries, the German police said.  

Meanwhile, some continue to be treated, with some being reanimated at the scene, Mr Nath said. 

A manhunt has since been launched for the suspect as the force deployed ‘a lot of police’ to the scene. It is not yet clear if there is one or several suspects.

The motorist, who is said to have struck down several people on the Ahornsteig in the park shortly before 10pm (local time), was driving a white vehicle, the force said.

Witnesses reported seeing a white car drive into revellers at speed, before a man got out of the vehicle with a bladed weapon, the German news outlet reported. 

The suspect is alleged to have attacked, as another witness told the publication that he then fled on foot. 

‘We are conducting an intensive search for possible suspects,’ a police officer said on a short video released on the Berlin police account on X.

‘We are currently deployed with numerous police forces as well as rescue units from the Berlin Fire Department in the Großer Tiergarten. 

A driver has ploughed into a crowd of people near Berlin’s Pride celebrations on Saturday evening, leaving several people injured, Berlin police have said

‘Numerous’ people have been injured, including several with life-threatening injuries, the force’s spokesperson Florian Nath said. It is not clear how many are injured

A firefighter kneels on the floor as emergency services respond to the incident. One person has been killed, Bild reported

A man rapped in a security blanket makes a phone call next to police and ambulances near the scene where one person was killed

The incident happened just hours after the event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community had begun, prompting police to call off the event in the German capital

Emergency service workers wheel a person who has been injured after a car ploughed into a crowd in Germany on Saturday

‘Numerous’ people have been injured, including several with life-threatening injuries, the force’s spokesperson Florian Nath said. It is not clear how many are injured

The incident happened just hours after the event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community had begun, prompting police to call off the event in the German capital

The city’s mayor, Kai Wegner, described the incident as ‘an attack on our free and open society’.

Police work near the scene where one person was killed and around 15 injured after a car is believed to have hit a crowd on the outskirts of the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade

‘It is suspected that a vehicle has driven into the Tiergarten here, has struck and injured several people. The injured are currently being treated by rescue personnel.’

Firefighters, ambulances, as well as other emergency services were at the park attending to victims. A helicopter landing pad was situated near the Reichstag. 

The Mayor Berlin, Kai Wegner, has described the incident as ‘an attack on our free and open society’. 

‘After a peaceful and colorful CSD, the assembly for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal way,’ he wrote.

‘Berlin is the city of freedom – and our freedom has been attacked in the most horrific way today.

‘My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends. I thank the emergency services who were immediately on site and did everything in their power.

‘And I trust the police and security authorities, who will investigate at full speed.’

It comes as hundreds of thousands of people arrived in the capital city to celebrate at Berlin’s Pride parade, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day.

The pride event, which is one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations, was called off at around 10:15 pm (local time) amid celebrations. 

The word ‘Evacuation’ was displayed in bright colours on a large screen near the Brandenburg Gate.

People were urged to go home and to avoid taking the route through the Tiergarten park, with an Instagram post instructing them to leave in a ‘orderly manner’.

‘Please avoid the Victory Column and the Tiergarten. Leave the area in the direction of the main train station,’ the post read. 

Before the incident, people had celebrated peacefully, marching through the city, dancing, and cheering as around 80 floats participated in the parade.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.