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| Two dead after car driven into crowds in German city of Mannheim | Two dead after car driven into crowds in German city of Mannheim |
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| Several people injured and driver of SUV arrested by police, who had warned of terrorist threats at carnivals | Several people injured and driver of SUV arrested by police, who had warned of terrorist threats at carnivals |
| A car has rammed into crowds in the centre of the German city of Mannheim, killing two people and injuring several others after police warned of terrorist threats at regional carnival festivities. | A car has rammed into crowds in the centre of the German city of Mannheim, killing two people and injuring several others after police warned of terrorist threats at regional carnival festivities. |
| Police said they had arrested a man, the driver of a black SUV, who was reportedly being treated for his injuries in hospital under tight police protection. Thomas Strobl, the interior minister of Baden-Württemberg state, said the suspect was a 40-year-old German man from the south-western state of Rhineland-Palatinate who was believed to have acted alone. | Police said they had arrested a man, the driver of a black SUV, who was reportedly being treated for his injuries in hospital under tight police protection. Thomas Strobl, the interior minister of Baden-Württemberg state, said the suspect was a 40-year-old German man from the south-western state of Rhineland-Palatinate who was believed to have acted alone. |
| “Two people died from their injuries and several others are seriously injured,” Strobl said in a statement late on Monday. | “Two people died from their injuries and several others are seriously injured,” Strobl said in a statement late on Monday. |
| German media reported that the suspect had a history of mental health problems. “At the current stage of the investigation, there is no suspicion of a political background,” police said in a statement. | German media reported that the suspect had a history of mental health problems. “At the current stage of the investigation, there is no suspicion of a political background,” police said in a statement. |
| Strobl later said: “We have no indication of an extremist or religious background at the moment. The motivation could rather be based in the person of the perpetrator himself.” | |
| Witnesses described people lying on the ground at the scene near the central pedestrianised Paradeplatz after the car ploughed into the crowd, heading in the direction of a water tower. Attempts were being made to resuscitate at least two people at the scene. | Witnesses described people lying on the ground at the scene near the central pedestrianised Paradeplatz after the car ploughed into the crowd, heading in the direction of a water tower. Attempts were being made to resuscitate at least two people at the scene. |
| Police said it remained unclear whether the driver had driven his vehicle deliberately into the crowds celebrating carnival before the fasting season of Lent. However, the incident follows a string of violent attacks including two other car rammings, in Munich last month and in Magdeburg in December. Mannheim was the scene of a stabbing in May 2024 in which a police officer was killed and five people wounded. | Police said it remained unclear whether the driver had driven his vehicle deliberately into the crowds celebrating carnival before the fasting season of Lent. However, the incident follows a string of violent attacks including two other car rammings, in Munich last month and in Magdeburg in December. Mannheim was the scene of a stabbing in May 2024 in which a police officer was killed and five people wounded. |
| All those attacks were carried out by migrants, fuelling a heated debate over the country’s immigration policy before Germany’s general election last month. The vote was won by the conservative CDU/CSU alliance, which campaigned on promises to tighten border controls, while the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland came second with its best ever result. | All those attacks were carried out by migrants, fuelling a heated debate over the country’s immigration policy before Germany’s general election last month. The vote was won by the conservative CDU/CSU alliance, which campaigned on promises to tighten border controls, while the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland came second with its best ever result. |
| The suspect in Monday’s attack, however, was understood to be a German citizen. | The suspect in Monday’s attack, however, was understood to be a German citizen. |
| Germany’s carnival season culminates in Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), with crowds in fancy dress and parades of floats that typically feature comical and satirical displays of events dominating current affairs. Mannheim held its main parade on Sunday. | Germany’s carnival season culminates in Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), with crowds in fancy dress and parades of floats that typically feature comical and satirical displays of events dominating current affairs. Mannheim held its main parade on Sunday. |
| Security forces had alerted carnival organisers and the public more than a week ago about warnings published on social media accounts connected to the militant group Islamic State, calling for followers to carry out attacks in the carnival strongholds of the Rhineland, to which Mannheim belongs, and areas in the south, both Catholic regions. | Security forces had alerted carnival organisers and the public more than a week ago about warnings published on social media accounts connected to the militant group Islamic State, calling for followers to carry out attacks in the carnival strongholds of the Rhineland, to which Mannheim belongs, and areas in the south, both Catholic regions. |
| Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser, who had been due to attend a popular parade in Cologne on Monday, cancelled her attendance to travel to Mannheim instead, a spokesperson said. | Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser, who had been due to attend a popular parade in Cologne on Monday, cancelled her attendance to travel to Mannheim instead, a spokesperson said. |
| Friedrich Merz, who is likely to be Germany’s next chancellor, wrote on X that “the incident – as well as the terrible acts of the past few months – is an urgent reminder that we must do everything we can to prevent such acts”. The outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz, referred to the stabbing attack of last year, writing on X: “Once again we mourn with Mannheim. Once again we mourn with the families of the victims of a senseless act of violence.” | Friedrich Merz, who is likely to be Germany’s next chancellor, wrote on X that “the incident – as well as the terrible acts of the past few months – is an urgent reminder that we must do everything we can to prevent such acts”. The outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz, referred to the stabbing attack of last year, writing on X: “Once again we mourn with Mannheim. Once again we mourn with the families of the victims of a senseless act of violence.” |
| Kasim Timur, 57, who runs a cafe on Paradeplatz, told Spiegel online via telephone: “It breaks one’s heart.” One of his colleagues had reported seeing some of the seriously injured, including children, he said. Another colleague, on her way to work at the cafe, had seen a dark-coloured Ford car racing towards Paradeplatz, he said. | Kasim Timur, 57, who runs a cafe on Paradeplatz, told Spiegel online via telephone: “It breaks one’s heart.” One of his colleagues had reported seeing some of the seriously injured, including children, he said. Another colleague, on her way to work at the cafe, had seen a dark-coloured Ford car racing towards Paradeplatz, he said. |
| “Initially she thought it was someone who had caused an accident and fled the scene,” he said. “Only later did she understand what had happened.” Timur said the city had not yet got over the stabbing attack of less than a year ago. “Now the horror is back,” he told Spiegel. “That is very scary.” | “Initially she thought it was someone who had caused an accident and fled the scene,” he said. “Only later did she understand what had happened.” Timur said the city had not yet got over the stabbing attack of less than a year ago. “Now the horror is back,” he told Spiegel. “That is very scary.” |
| According to media reports, three people were receiving emergency treatment at University Hospital Mannheim, including two adults and a child. Eight medical trauma teams were on standby ready to attend adults and children, according to the hospital. | According to media reports, three people were receiving emergency treatment at University Hospital Mannheim, including two adults and a child. Eight medical trauma teams were on standby ready to attend adults and children, according to the hospital. |
| Police urged people not to post videos from the attack, or to spread information that had not been officially confirmed, warning of numerous “false reports” related to the attack that were circulating on social media. | Police urged people not to post videos from the attack, or to spread information that had not been officially confirmed, warning of numerous “false reports” related to the attack that were circulating on social media. |