Car drives into crowd at Berlin CSD festival, killing at least one; moderator Hofmann says 'something changed in me'

From celebration to shock

On Saturday afternoon, thousands gathered in Berlin for the annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade, with the main programme taking place at the Brandenburg Gate. Ricarda Hofmann, a well-known host, was on stage as part of the festivities. But the atmosphere changed sharply after the event ended.

Later that evening, around the Tiergarten area close to Potsdamer Platz, a motorist drove into a crowd. The incident happened at a time when many people were still in the area following the day's celebrations, though the exact circumstances and timing of the attack remain under investigation. The vehicle struck multiple pedestrians, causing fatal injuries to at least one individual and leaving a number of others with serious wounds.

Hofmann's reaction

Within hours of the attack, Hofmann took to Instagram to express a mixture of shock and sadness. Her posts, written overnight, conveyed the personal impact of the violence on someone who had only recently been at the heart of the community's gathering.

I'm actually at a loss for words right now.

She added that the night's events had deeply affected her and shared her connection to the CSD not just as a professional obligation but as a personal commitment.

What happened today has changed something in me.

A longer post described how she saw herself as part of the community that had gathered to celebrate love and support one another.

I was at CSD today. Not just as a moderator, but as a member of a community that comes together to be visible. To celebrate love. To stand up for one another.

Casualties and emergency response

Authorities confirmed the death of at least one person at the scene. Several others were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, though the full number of wounded was still being assessed on Sunday morning. Emergency services cordoned off the area around the Tiergarten and Potsdamer Platz while investigations began.

The attack occurred in a central Berlin location that had been bustling with Pride participants and visitors. The vehicle struck on a stretch of road often used by pedestrians moving between the CSD venues and nearby public transport stops.

Timeline of the day

The sequence of events shifted from a festive rally to tragedy within hours, reflecting how quickly the mood in the capital changed.

No motive has been publicly attributed to the driver by Sunday, and police have not released details about the suspect's identity or background. The CSD event continued earlier in the day without incident, and Hofmann's Instagram reflections became one of the first public statements linking the attack to the community's experience of the day.