The speaker of the German parliament on Sunday ordered flags at the iconic building to be flown at half-mast, one day after the deadly attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride parade.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner said she was deeply shocked by the attack on Saturday night at the Tiergarten park, which left one person dead and 16 injured.
“Anyone who attacks people standing up for freedom, equal rights, and diversity is attacking the very foundations of our democratic society and trampling on human dignity,” she said.
Police were searching the area around the crashed vehicle in the Tiergarten on Sunday morning amid an ongoing manhunt for the 21-year-old suspect.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner were scheduled to address the media from the scene at 1 pm (1100 GMT).
During the afternoon, a memorial service is to be held at the St Marienkirche in central Berlin, where Bishop Christian Stäblein will deliver a brief address.
“Everyone is warmly invited to come together in mourning, to remember the person who died, and to pray for those who were injured, those affected, and their families,” a church spokesman said.
Klöckner stressed that Germany’s constitution protects the right to live freely and without fear, and to stand up for one’s beliefs.
“We will therefore stand firmly against those who respond to our freedom and our way of life with terrorism. Fanaticism, terrorism, and hatred must never be allowed to gain a foothold in our country,” she said.
Klöckner added that her thoughts were with the victims, their families, and everyone who witnessed the horrific attack.
Employees of the Berlin City Cleaning Service (BSR) are cleaning up Straße des 17. Juni after Christopher Street Day (CSD)—the Victory Column can be seen in the background. CSD was cut short on Saturday evening after a car drove into a crowd on the outskirts of the large-scale event. (is associated with: «Bundestag flags to be flown at half-mast after Berlin Pride attack») Kathrin Deckart/dpa