2016 Berlin truck attack
On 19 December 2016 at 20:02 Central European Time, a truck rammed into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany. This killed 12 people and injured 49 others.[2] The original driver of the truck was found shot dead in the passenger seat.
| 2016 Berlin truck attack | |
|---|---|
| 2016 Berlin truck attack Route of the truck. | |
| Location | Breitscheidplatz, Berlin, Germany |
| Date | 20 December 2016 20:02 CET (UTC+01) |
| Attack type | Vehicle-ramming attack, truck hijacking, stabbing, shooting, mass murder |
| Weapon(s) | * Scania R 450 semi-trailer truck
|
| Deaths | 13 (12 pedestrians,[a] original truck driver by gunshot) |
| Injured | 55 |
| Perpetrator | Template:Country data ISIS |
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack.[3] The perpatrator was Anis Amri, a Tunisian asylum seeker. On 23 December 2016, Amri was shot dead by an Italian police officer in Sesto San Giovanni, Lombardy.[4][5][6] German police later confirmed that Amri's fingerprints were the same as those in the truck.
Attack
The truck that was involved, a Scania semi-trailer truck,[7] was owned by a Polish company named Usługi Transportowe Ariel Żurawski. The truck was transporting steel beams to Berlin.[8]
The original truck driver, Lukasz Urban, is believed to have been killed by the perpetrator. He was stabbed and shot in the head.[9][10] On 19 December 2016, at 20:02 local time, the truck drove through a Christmas market. This killed 12 people. The truck drove 50–80 metres (160–260 ft) and destroyed many booths.[11] Some witnesses saw the driver leave the truck and run towards Tiergarten.
Reactions
Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babiš said "Unfortunately... [Angela Merkel's open-door migration] policy is responsible for this dreadful act. It was she who let migrants enter Germany and the whole of Europe in uncontrolled waves, without papers, therefore without knowing who they really are."[12][13] Marcus Pretzell, husband of AfD leader Frauke Petry, tweeted: "When will the German state of law strike back? When will this cursed hypocrisy finally stop? These are Merkel's dead! #Nice #Berlin."[14][15]
Muslims and Chrisitians held a vigil together after the attack.[16][17][18][19][20]
2016 Berlin Truck Attack Media
The path of the truck shown on a map
The truck involved, surrounded by emergency vehicles
Breitscheidplatz after the attack
Hardenbergstrasse the day after; street taken by the truck straight into the Christmas market.
Wanted poster offering a reward for Amri
Candlelight memorial near the scene of the attack
"Goldener Riss" memorial as of 2018, marking where the truck came to a stop
Related pages
- 2016 Nice attack, a similar attack in Nice, France, in July
Notes
References
- ↑ "Berlin attack: First aider dies 5 years after Christmas market murders". BBC. 26 October 2021. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59048891. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Noch 14 Menschen in Lebensgefahr" [Still 14 People in Danger]. Der Spiegel. Hamburg, Germany.
- ↑ "Nach Anschlag in Berlin: IS reklamiert Attacke auf Weihnachtsmarkt für sich" (in de). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ.net) (Frankfurt, Germany). 20 December 2016. http://www.faz.net/1.4585337. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ↑ "ISIS-linked news agency releases video of Berlin attacker swearing allegiance to the radical group". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
- ↑ Bonini, Carlo; Pisa, Massimo (in it). L'attentatore di Berlino Anis Amri ucciso a Sesto: ha urlato "Allah Akbar". http://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2016/12/23/news/sparatoria_sesto_san_giovanni-154711759/. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
- ↑ "Berlin attack suspect Anis Amri killed in Milan". 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ LKW rast in Weihnachtsmarkt auf Breitscheidplatz. Archived 2016-12-19 at the Wayback Machine In: Berliner Zeitung, 19. Dezember 2016
- ↑ Berlin lorry deaths: Police say 'probably terrorist attack'. BBC. 20 December 2016. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38375555.
- ↑ "Truck driver named as first victim of Berlin Christmas market terror attack". 20 December 2016.
- ↑ "Berlin Christmas market attack: What we know so far". The Daily Telegraph. 20 December 2016. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/20/berlin-christmas-market-attack-everything-know-far.
- ↑ Martin, Michelle (20 December 2016). Berlin police assume truck was deliberately driven into Christmas market. http://reuters.com/article/idUSKBN148287.
- ↑ "Czech finance minister says 'no place' for migrants in Europe". Reuters. 20 December 2016.
- ↑ "Berlin market attack: ISIL claims responsibility, prosecutors release main suspect, perpetrator potentially still at large". Euronews. 20 December 2016.
- ↑ Berlin, Allan Hall In (2016-12-20). "Furious backlash at Angela Merkel's immigration policy after attack". Mail Online. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- ↑ Gidda, Mirren (20 December 2016). "How World Leaders Reacted to the Berlin Attack". Newsweek. http://europe.newsweek.com/berlin-attack-germany-angela-merkel-vladimir-putin-world-leader-reactions-afd-534118?rm=eu. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ↑ "Live: vigil held for victims of Berlin Christmas market attack". The Daily Telegraph. 20 December 2016.
- ↑ (in de) Muslime zeigen Solidarität mit Opfern von Berlin. December 21, 2016. https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article160483287/Muslime-zeigen-Solidaritaet-mit-Opfern-von-Berlin.html. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
- ↑ Berlin lorry attack: Muslim community holds vigil for victims. December 21, 2016. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38389333. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
- ↑ Berlin's Muslim community sends message of peace and solidarity after Christmas market attack. December 21, 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/berlin-attack-muslim-community-germany-message-peace-solidarity-christmas-market-a7488571.html. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
- ↑ 'We love Germany' Berlin's Muslims hold peace vigil for Christmas market attack victims. December 21, 2016. http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/746214/Muslims-hold-vigil-berlin-terror-attack-christmas-market. Retrieved December 22, 2016.