Thursday 13 / February / 2025
Munich: At least 28 people were injured after a car drove into a group of people in Munich, with the regional governor of the state of Bavaria telling reporters that the incident was "suspected to be an attack."
Bavarian state premier Markus Söder told reporters that "I must tell you it looks like this was an attack" after a car plowed into a union demonstration in central Munich on Thursday.
Police said at least 28 people were injured and the suspect, who was detained immediately at the scene, is believed to be a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described Thursday's car ramming incident as "awful," adding that the suspect must be punished and deported.
"What has happened is awful," Scholz told reporters. "From my point of view it is quite clear, this attacker cannot count on any mercy, he must be punished and he must leave the country."
Scholz is the chancellor candidate for his center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the coming parliamentary elections, where migration issues have been at the forefront of debates. The opposition conservativeChristian Democratic Party (CDU), which is leading in the polls, has accused the Scholz government of being too lenient on migration issues.
Verdi, the union which organised the rally that the car rammed into during Thursday's suspected attack, said it was "deeply dismayed and shocked" by the incident during the "peaceful demonstration."
"At present, we have no reliable information about the background to the incident. We are not taking part in speculation and are awaiting the police investigation,” Verdi Chairman Frank Werneke said in a statement.
He added this was a "difficult moment" for all union colleagues.
"We trade unions stand for solidarity with one another, especially in such a dark hour."
