At least 30 individuals were injured when a vehicle operated by an Afghan asylum seeker crashed into a crowd in Munich, an incident that the state premier speculated might be an attack, rekindling security discussions ahead of next week’s federal election.
This suspected attack took place just hours before international figures, such as US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, were scheduled to arrive in the southern German city for the Munich Security Conference.
According to the latest police report, over 30 people sustained injuries, with some being in serious condition.
Authorities stated that a white car drove toward police vehicles that were escorting a protest by striking workers, then accelerated and struck individuals in the vicinity.
The 24-year-old driver has been detained by officers.
Authorities noted that his motives remain unclear.
The vehicle, identified as a Mini Cooper, crashed into a demonstration organized by trade union members, leaving a scene of chaos with victims and scattered belongings on the ground.
Police at the scene discharged a shot at the damaged vehicle and apprehended the driver, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker recognized by German media as Farhad N.
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Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the “terrible” act and promised severe repercussions.
“It is clear to me: this perpetrator will receive no mercy; he will be punished and expelled from the country,” Mr. Scholz told reporters.
In the aftermath of the suspected attack, shoes, glasses, and a baby stroller were left strewn about, reminiscent of a previous deadly car assault at a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg last December.
Witness Alexa Graef expressed her shock upon witnessing the car driving into the crowd, describing the action as “deliberate”.
“I hope I never witness anything like that again,” said Ms. Graef, whose office overlooks the intersection where the collision occurred.
Police examined the cream-colored vehicle involved in the incident, employing sniffer dogs around the Mini.
The 24-year-old resident of Munich was arrested at the location, according to police.
The authorities have identified “indications of an extremist motive,” and the investigation has been transferred to the regional prosecutor’s office, police confirmed.
News outlet Der Spiegel reported, referencing security sources, that the driver was believed to have shared Islamist content online prior to the incident.
An earlier statement by a fire service spokesman to AFP indicated that several of the injured were “seriously wounded, some in life-threatening condition.”
According to local media reports, children were among the victims.
The suspect reportedly arrived in Germany in 2016 during the peak of the large migrant influx into Europe.
German authorities had allegedly rejected his asylum request, yet he was not scheduled for deportation.
Bavaria’s state premier Markus Soeder told reporters that the occurrence was “just awful” and added, “it appears this was an attack.”
The CDU/CSU alliance, which is projected to win the upcoming election in just over a week, has advocated for stronger immigration restrictions in light of recent attacks.
Facing pressure on this issue even before the election was announced, Mr. Scholz’s administration has moved to tighten asylum regulations and expedite deportations, including those to Afghanistan.
Mr. Scholz acknowledged that organizing such returns was “complicated” but that the government was “actively working on cases…not merely once, but consistently.”
This latest incident occurs amidst an already intense debate regarding immigration and security following several similar occurrences, including a recent attack in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, last month.
That attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a two-year-old boy, after a knife assault on kindergarten toddlers.
Following that incident, police arrested a 28-year-old Afghan man, who authorities noted had a history of mental health issues.
In December, a car drove into a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, leaving six dead and injuring hundreds.
A Saudi national was arrested in connection with that attack.
