Several injured after car drives into crowd in Munich; driver arrested

A demonstration by the service workers' union was taking place at the time of the incident

A car rammed into a group of people in Munich on Thursday morning, leaving at least 20 injured, according to authorities.

 

The incident occurred near the city centre at around 10:30 am. Officials have not yet confirmed whether it was a deliberate act.

 

Munich police stated on social media platform X that the driver had been taken into custody and no longer posed a threat. A damaged Mini was visible at the scene.

 

The fire service reported that at least 20 people sustained injuries, some of them serious, as per German news agency dpa.

 

Munich’s Mayor, Dieter Reiter, expressed his shock over the event, stating that children were among those injured.

 

At the time of the incident, a demonstration organised by the service workers’ union ver.di was underway. It remains unclear whether any of the demonstrators were among the injured.

 

The Bavarian capital is set to experience heightened security measures in the coming days, as the annual Munich Security Conference — a major international forum on foreign and security policy — begins on Friday. 

Christmas market attack

 

The recent accident has brought back memories of last year’s Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, Germany, where six people lost their lives and 200 others were injured after an immigrant drove into a crowd.

 

Authorities apprehended the suspect immediately after he crashed a rented vehicle into the busy market. He was identified as a Saudi doctor who had moved to Germany in 2006 and later obtained permanent residency.  Officials stated that he did not match the typical profile of those involved in extremist attacks. The suspect, who identified as a former Muslim, had been openly critical of Islam and had expressed support for the far-right on social media.