Car plows into Berlin CSD parade, killing 1, injuring 16

Two years ago, the FBI published a warning about attacks on the LGBTQI+ community. CSDs in Germany are also increasingly being targeted.

Published: July 26, 2026 | 10:06 AM

Intelligence agency warned of attacks on Pride events — Photo: Maryam Majd / Reuters

By Klaudia Lagozinski

A man drove a car into people during the 2026 CSD in Berlin, leaving 16 people seriously injured and one woman dead. Police assume it was an attack and are searching for the perpetrator. In Austria, an attack on the Vienna CSD was prevented in 2023; the following year, official warnings about attacks on Pride events came from the United States.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation warned: "Foreign terrorist organizations or their supporters may seek to exploit the increased gatherings anticipated in connection with the upcoming Pride Month in June 2024." Similarly, the US State Department issued a warning at the time: "Be vigilant in locations frequented by tourists, including Pride celebrations."

Although no specific gatherings or locations were named, law enforcement authorities pointed out that messages from the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IS), disseminated in English in February 2023, contained rhetoric against LGBTQI+ events and venues.

In its warning, the FBI also referred to the arrest of three IS sympathizers who allegedly attempted to carry out an attack on a Pride parade in the Austrian capital Vienna in 2023.

Attack on Queer Community in the USA in 2016

A lasting memory in the USA is the attack on the queer community in 2016, when an armed man opened fire at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on the night of June 12, 2016.

Pulse was a well-known LGBTQI+ nightclub, with around 300 people present at the time. Forty-nine people were killed, and 53 others were injured. It was the worst attack on the LGBTQI+ community the USA has ever experienced.

Report: Nearly Half of CSDs Do Not Proceed Without Incident

The research network ReGA (Research Against Global Authoritarianism) published a report on attacks on Pride events in Germany in June of this year. It reports an increase in attacks on Pride parades, neo-Nazi rallies described as counter-demonstrations, and anti-queer assaults on organizers and participants in Germany over the past three years.

The network focuses on developments in authoritarianism, right-wing extremism, and anti-democratic mobilization. For 2025, ReGA found:

• 110 out of 243 CSDs and Pride events took place without documented incidents — meaning without event-related (right-wing extremist) demonstrations or rallies, and without reported attacks, insults, or threats.
• 17 CSDs faced right-wing extremist gatherings but no disruptions.
• 35 CSDs had both right-wing extremist gatherings and disruptions.
• 81 CSDs had "only" disruptions but no right-wing extremist demonstrations.

On taz.de, you will find an independent, progressive voice. Freely accessible, made possible by our community. All information on our website is available free of charge. But those who can afford it may make a small contribution. Our readers do not have to pay anything, but they know that good, critical journalism does not come from nothing. We are very grateful for that. So that we can continue to do our journalism tomorrow, we need more support. Our next goal: 50,000 – and with your participation, we can achieve it. Set an example for taz and for the future of our journalism. With just 5 euros, you can join in! Support now