Around 30 people were injured, several of them seriously, when a car deliberately drove into a demonstration in central Munich on Thursday. The suspected driver, a 24-year-old asylum seeker from Afghanistan, was arrested after police fired shots. The incident, which took place at a time of heightened security ahead of an international conference, has provoked strong political reactions and put the spotlight on Germany’s migration policy ahead of elections later this month.
A cream-colored Mini Cooper suddenly accelerated to 50 km/h and crashed into a crowd of people at Stiglmaierplatz, where the Verdi trade union was holding a demonstration linked to an ongoing strike. According to eyewitnesses, the attack appeared to be deliberate.
“It looked like it was done on purpose”, one witness told Bayerischer Rundfunk. Emergency services described the situation as chaotic, with several life-threatening injuries, including small children.
Police fired warning shots and arrested the driver, who had a history of drug offenses and was reportedly to be deported. He is now suspected of planning an attack on the protesters.
Germany: Scenes from Munich (Ecke Stiglmaier-Platz ) after the car attack#Munich #DachauerStraße #Germany #Seidlstraße #München #Großeinsatz pic.twitter.com/QhrZwMruf0
— JUST IN | World (@justinbroadcast) February 13, 2025
Strong political reactions
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) condemned the incident as an “attack” during a press conference, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) promised that the suspect “must be punished and leave the country” if found guilty.
The attack comes in the midst of a heated election campaign, with issues of migration and security taking center stage.
The incident also comes on the eve of the Munich Security Conference, which starts on February 14, with participants such as US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The organizers have not yet decided on any changes to the conference programme.
Broader debate on security and immigration
The attack is the third high-profile incident of violence in Germany in a short time where the perpetrators are of Afghan origin. Three weeks ago, a two-year-old boy was killed in a knife attack in Aschaffenburg, and another Afghan man is being prosecuted for the murder of a police officer in Mannheim in 2024. These incidents have sharpened the debate on asylum policy and integration, especially ahead of the 23 February federal elections.
At the scene, journalists arrived to find traces of blood and torn clothing. Police have not released any details about the motive, but the investigation is focusing on whether the perpetrator acted alone or has links to larger networks.
