>>28953Berlin mayor, Chancellor Merz condemn 'horrific' act
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, who visited the scene, described the incident as "an attack on our free and open society."
"After a peaceful and colorful CSD, the assembly for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal way. Berlin is the city of freedom, and our freedom has been attacked in the most horrific way today," he said on X.
In remarks to reporters at the scene, Wegner said, "We will not allow our way of life and our way of living together to be taken from us."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also condemned what he called a "horrific act."
In a statement, Merz said he and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt would ensure "this horrific act is fully investigated and punished."
Pride parade participants told to 'go home, please'
Hundreds of thousands of people had taken to the streets of Berlin on Saturday to advocate for tolerance and diversity, culminating in concerts at the Brandenburg Gate.
The event was called off around 10:15 p.m., and a band's performance was interrupted. Authorities urged people to "go home, please," and avoid routes through Tiergarten.
The CSD parade ended on 17 June Street, which crosses Berlin's Tiergarten to the Brandenburg Gate. The Gate has been the venue for concerts since Friday.
Berlin's CSD was first held in 1979, making it Germany's oldest Pride event. Its name comes from Christopher Street — the site of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City.
CSD has since evolved from a small protest into a major fixture of the city's cultural and political calendar.