The annual Christopher Street Day, as Pride parades are known in Germany, has been a fixture of Berlin’s cultural calendar since 1979. Yet what was supposed to be Germany’s largest event for gay, lesbian and other sexual minorities ended on Saturday night in panic and bloodshed.
Many deaths could have been prevented, had the German government chosen to put the interests of its citizens above those of foreign nationals
Shortly before 10 p.m., a man drove a white van into the crowds gathered to enjoy the event. He then jumped out of the vehicle and attacked people with what was described as a machete-like blade. One woman was killed and 29 injured. Three remain in a life-threatening condition. The celebration was immediately cancelled, with the hundreds of thousands of attendees told to evacuate and return home.
Police have identified a 21-year old suspect, Abdul Ballout, who they say had several prior criminal convictions and was known to be associated with Islamists in Berlin. A nationwide manhunt with thousands of officers was launched, which led to police finding his hideout on Sunday evening. When Ballout charged the police with his bladed weapon, he was fired on by Berlin’s SEK, the German firearms police. Despite resuscitation efforts, he died at the scene.
