An Afghan migrant drove a car through a large demonstration in Munich on Thursday morning in what is being assumed a “suspected attack,” injuring at least 28 people. The incident comes just a day before the German city is set to host a conference that is to be attended by world leaders, including Vice President JD Vance.
Officials reported that the 24-year-old suspect, whose asylum request had recently been denied, was arrested shortly after he drove a Mini Cooper into a crowd just after 10:30 a.m. Video footage from the scene showed victims lying on the ground as emergency responders provided aid following the crash in the Dachauer Straße area.
Shocking Scene
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Among the injured was a mother who had been pushing her child in a stroller at the time of the incident. Munich Police took to social media to assure the public that the driver was arrested at the scene and “no longer poses a threat.”
“It is suspected that this was an attack—a lot points to that,” Bavarian governor Markus Söder said at the scene.
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The incident comes as global defense leaders, including VP JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, gathered in the Bavarian city for a high-profile security conference.
Reports indicate that at least 20 people, including a child, were injured when the driver allegedly sped into a group of demonstrators associated with the Verdi trade union on Seidlstrasse around 10:30 a.m.
Eyewitnesses told a German newspaper that two men were inside the Mini Cooper, and gunshots were heard before the driver was taken into custody. Authorities have launched a large-scale police operation in response, according to a statement on X/Twitter.
A German journalist present at the scene described the aftermath on social media, saying that victims were left “crying and trembling” on the ground.
City Safe Now
The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, was reportedly known to local authorities for earlier offenses related to theft and drugs, according to Bavaria’s state interior minister, Joachim Herrmann.
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Herrmann also said that the suspect’s asylum request had been denied recently, but deportation had not been feasible, though he did not elaborate on the reasons.
“Anyone who commits crimes in Germany will not just be punished severely and have to go to prison, but must expect that he cannot continue his stay in Germany—and that also goes for countries that it is very difficult to send people back to,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
He described the incident as “a horrific attack.” While authorities continue to investigate the motive, initial findings suggest that the protest was likely chosen at random.
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The crash occurred near the intersection of Dachauer Straße and Seidlstraße, where around 1,000 city trade union workers had gathered to demand better wages, increased bonuses, and three extra days off.
Officials said that the driver sped past a police vehicle monitoring the demonstration before accelerating and deliberately plowing into the back of the crowd.
He was arrested after officers fired a shot at the vehicle, according to law enforcement.
