German conservatives urge stricter measures following Berlin Pride van attack
After a van rammed into a Berlin Pride crowd, killing one and injuring dozens, senior CDU/CSU politicians called for harsher penalties and intelligence reforms targeting suspected Islamist extremists.
A 21-year-old German national of Lebanese descent, identified as Abdul B., drove a van into participants of the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin on Saturday, killing a Polish woman and wounding 29 others. Police later shot the suspect dead after a pursuit.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said law-enforcement should "limit the freedom of movement of such potential offenders as much as possible" and asked Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to examine possible measures, including revoking citizenship for dual nationals involved in terrorism. He added that many individuals ordered to leave Germany should be expelled promptly.
Conservative lawmakers called for tougher penalties, expanded intelligence sharing and longer data retention to track suspected extremists. Marc Henrichmann, chair of the Bundestag’s Intelligence Oversight Committee, described the attack as a "declaration of war against our free democracy" and urged that it not be treated "with kid gloves." Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann called the suspended sentence previously given to the attacker a "disaster," while Saxony-Anhalt Interior Minister Sven Schulze said people who do not accept German culture should not be allowed to remain in the country.
The Central Council of Muslims in Germany condemned the violence, stating that no one should be targeted because of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or origin, and called for a clear stance against all forms of hatred. The organizers of the Berlin Pride event affirmed that both right-wing and religious ideologies aim to oppress queer people and pledged not to be silenced by violence.
The Justice Ministry announced a study into possible reforms of juvenile law, noting that the current system allows courts to decide whether suspects aged 18-20 are tried as adults. The suspect had received a suspended sentence from a juvenile court in May and was released pending appeal.
The attack has reignited debate over how Germany handles radicalisation cases and the balance between security measures and civil liberties.