At least 28 people are injured after a car drove into a crowd in Munich, police have said.
The incident took place at a square near downtown Munich, close to the city’s central train station at around 10.30am (9.30am UK time), officials said.
Munich latest: Car ramming was ‘suspected attack’
Here is everything we know:
What happened?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
The car was driven into the crowd on a street called Seidlstrasse in the central area of the city.
The crowd was taking part in a demonstration organised by a trade union, and a police car was following them as they walked, deputy police chief Christian Huber said.
“Then a vehicle approached it from behind,” he added.
“It approached the police car to overtake it, and then accelerated and drove into the back of the demonstration.”
A badly damaged cream-coloured Mini could be seen after the attack along with debris including shoes.
Bavarian governor Markus Soeder said it was “probably an attack”.
A man was arrested at the scene and police said a shot was fired as the arrest was made, but have not added any further details.
What we know about the victims
Children were among those hurt, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter said, and local police said at least two people are “very seriously injured”.
The premier of Bavaria – the region where Munich is located – said a total of at least 28 people were injured and said some were critically hurt.
Posting on social media, Munich police added: “Caring for the injured is currently the top priority.”
Who is the suspect – and do we know the motive?
Police say the man arrested was a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker.
They added he is being held and does not pose any further threat.
The motives have not been confirmed by officials yet.
Attention has been drawn to the fact the incident happened about 1.5km away from where the Munich Security Conference is set to take place on the weekend, with international figures such as US vice president JD Vance already arriving for it.
But police have said the incident is not thought to be related to the conference.
Incident comes amid immigration tensions
Security has been in sharp focus in Germany ahead of a federal election next week and following a string of violent attacks.
Immigration has been a major talking point, with far-right party AfD doing well in polls.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz described the incident as a “terrible attack” and said the perpetrator “must be punished and he must leave the country”.
Read more:
Suspected car attack will fill Germans with dread
Hamas says it will release Israeli hostages as planned
Explosion in Taiwan kills at least four people
His comments come after the government said last year it was resuming flights for convicted criminals of Afghan nationality to their home country.
“It is very important for me to get the message across that anyone who commits crimes in Germany will not only be severely punished and sent to prison, they must also expect that they will not be able to continue their stay in Germany,” he said.
“That’s why I managed to get the government I lead to resume and carry out repatriations to Afghanistan, despite the lack of diplomatic relations,” he said.
He added: “We have already organized such a flight with criminals… we are also in the process of doing this in other cases. And not just once, but on an ongoing basis.
“This perpetrator cannot count on any leniency, he must be punished and he must leave the country.”
