Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations A German man ploughed his car into a carnival parade in the western town of Volkmarsen on Monday (24 February) adding it was too early to say what his motive was People react after a car crashed into a group of revelers during the Rose Monday carnival parade in Volkmarsen near Kassel Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker BERLIN (AP) — A man intentionally drove a car into a crowd of people at a Carnival parade in a small German town Monday injuring dozens of people including children but police couldn’t immediately provide details about the man’s motivations for crashing into the celebrations in Volkmarsen about 280 kilometers (175 miles) southwest of Berlin “We are working on the assumption that it was a deliberate act,” police spokesman Henning Hinn said but added that further details of the driver’s motives weren’t yet known Hinn said that “there were several dozen injured among them some seriously and sadly also children.” Some of the injuries were life-threatening Emergency responders set up a makeshift clinic in a town pharmacy to treat casualties with minor injuries the regional Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper reported Witnesses said the car drove around a barrier blocking off traffic from the parade Video from the scene showed a silver Mercedes station wagon with local license plates on a sidewalk its front windshield badly smashed and hood dented Forensic experts could be seen taking photos and measurements around the crashed car walking around fragments of Carnival costumes that littered the ground The crash came amid the height of Germany’s celebration of Carnival Police in Western Hesse state tweeted that all other Carnival parades in the state Monday were ended after the crash as a precaution Police shut down the area to allow emergency crews to deal with the crash Police said they couldn’t immediately provide further details and urged people not to spread “unconfirmed reports.” © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Police refuse to rule out deliberate attack on parade in town of Volkmarsen after a local man appeared to deliberately drive a car into a carnival parade procession in the central German town of Volkmarsen The driver was arrested but police could not immediately provide details about the man’s motives as saying they were “working on the assumption that it was a deliberate act” some with life-threatening injuries and several of them children The interior ministry in the state of Hesse said the driver described by police as a 29-year-old German national from the local area a deliberate attack cannot currently be ruled out,” a spokesperson said Emergency vehicles at the scene Photograph: Uwe Zucchi/APPolice vehicles and ambulances were at the scene Police called off all carnival parades in the state of Hesse as a precautionary measure but said they were not aware of any danger elsewhere in Germany The DPA news agency said no deaths had been reported in the crash Police had previously said it was not clear whether mechanical problems or whether the car had been intentionally driven into the crowd Video footage showed a locally registered silver Mercedes hatchback on a pavement outside a supermarket in the town which has a population of nearly 7,000 and is about 30km from Kassel Local media cited witnesses as saying the car ploughed “at full throttle” about 30 metres into the parade before it finally came to a halt adding that driver had driven round a traffic barrier and appeared to have deliberately targeted children A witness said the driver had accelerated after driving past the police barrier One witness, Elmar Schulten, told Bild that he saw “many small children” on the ground Police had to protect the driver as carnival marchers including parents of some of those injured the highlight of Germany’s annual celebration of Carnival Hugely popular in Rhineland cities such as Cologne and Düsseldorf tens of thousands of people dress up to attend street parades featuring comical or satirical floats from which people play music and throw sweets in one of the worst racist attacks in Germany since the second world war first opened fire at a shisha bar and a cafe in Hanau before shooting dead his mother and himself Condemning the violence in Hanau, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said the country had to fight back against the “poison” of racism and hatred running through German society promised to ramp up security and put more police at mosques Thousands of Germans later joined vigils to mourn the victims and call for more protection for minorities Many also used the occasion to vent their anger at the far-right AfD party which has been accused of stoking anti-foreigner sentiment and normalising hate speech in recent years Germany’s deadliest terror attack in recent history took place in 2016, when a failed Tunisian asylum seeker drove a lorry into a crowded Berlin Christmas market The attacker had pledged allegiance to Islamic State Additional reporting by Philip Oltermann in Berlin your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Police in Germany are continuing their investigations "in full swing" after a man drove a car into crowds celebrating Carnival in the town of Volkmarsen on Monday They say the number of injuries reported has risen to nearly 60 people 35 people remain in hospital on Tuesday for treatment while a further 17 suffered minor injuries and have been released The General Prosecutor General's Office in Frankfurt has opened an investigation into "attempted homicide" Authorities say they are still searching for a motive behind the incident was arrested at the scene and has also received medical treatment after sustaining injuries A second individual was detained in Volkmarsen on Monday accused of violating privacy rights by filming the scene of the crash Police have urged citizens not to circulate photos of the alleged suspect on social media came at the height of Germany's celebration of Carnival Other Carnival parades in the central state of Hesse planned to resume on Tuesday with increased police presence Head of State Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Facebook that he was "deeply shocked" by the incident and sent his best wishes to those injured in the incident German Chancellor Angela Merkel added that "my thoughts are with the injured by Volkmarsen and their relatives." Local Bundestag member Timon Gremmels tweeted that he was "simply stunned" that some who target "the lives of adults and children who just wanted to celebrate on Rosenmontag" The incident in Volkmarsen comes less than a week after nine people were killed during shootings in Hanau, in the same state of Hesse, which targeted shisha (hookah) bars in the city. A day that is usually honored with jaunty floats and colorful costumes was instead marred by terror and chaos when a car mowed down a carnival crowd in central Germany Police have arrested the 29-year-old German man who, around 2:45 p.m. local time on Monday, plowed a silver Mercedes station wagon through plastic barricades and into a procession for Rosenmontag in the town of Volkmarsen, BBC reported The car is registered to the still-unidentified man who is accused of attempted homicide Rosenmontag — also known as Rose Monday — is one of the highlights of the traditional German Karneval (or carnival) celebration that precedes Ash Wednesday, which, according to Al Jazeera marks the start of Lent for many Christians Duesseldorf and Mainz see the biggest parades Local media reports cite eyewitness accounts of the driver speeding up as he neared the carnival procession and allegedly making a beeline for children who were partaking in the festivities Federal prosecutors say the suspect sustained serious head injuries He will be treated before being taken to an investigating judge "We can't say anything about his precise motives," police spokesman Henning Hinn told reporters Officers haven't yet been able to interview the suspect because of his condition Authorities denied reports of the man driving under the influence of alcohol but it's unclear whether drugs played a role Another person was accused of filming the incident and arrested for it German officials urged people not to share photographs of the scene in the crime's aftermath A picture made the rounds of the internet apparently showing the suspect getting nabbed, but BBC said, the wrong person had been photographed. Police debunked the rumors by tweeting the incorrect picture and labeling it "fake news." is home to around 7,000 people. All other carnival parades in the state were called off on Monday as a precaution Tuesday's carnival events will go on as planned because there are no "concrete indications" of an ongoing risk the festivities will occur amid a heightened police presence said he was "shocked at the terrible act," but also urged people not to hypothesize about the suspect's motive.  He and his mother were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide several people have been injured," police from nearby Kassel city said in a statement "There is a large police presence at the scene The driver of the car was detained by a police officer." The local Waldeckische Zeitung daily cited witnesses as reporting that some 15 people were injured Pictures from the scene showed police officers and rescue vehicles next to a silver Mercedes hatchback with its doors open having apparently come to a halt outside a REWE supermarket A pile of debris is seen on the side of the road next to the car including a knocked-over traffic cone and bottles of sparkling wine Several dozen people are seen milling around on the sidewalk In many parts of Germany residents are celebrating Rose Monday a highlight of the annual carnival festivities that sees adults and children alike dress up and attend parades where people play music and throw candies from floats The incident comes as Germany is still reeling from a shooting spree in the city of Hanau The rampage fuelled concerns over Germany's increasingly emboldened far right scene after a pro-migrant politician was murdered in June and an anti-Semitic attack on a synagogue left two dead in the city of Halle last October Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany had to fight back against the "poison" of racism and hatred running through German society Germany's deadliest terror attack in recent history took place in 2016 when a jihadist drove his truck into a crowded Berlin Christmas market had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group The Christmas market rampage prompted police across Germany to tighten security at public gatherings Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Friday again vowed to ramp up security and put more police at mosques Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor Prosecutors said the driver was arrested at the scene of the incident in Volkmarsen BERLIN - A man intentionally drove a car into a crowd at a Carnival parade in a small town in central Germany injuring around 30 people including children a 29-year-old German citizen who lived locally was arrested at the scene in Volkmarsen near Kassel He is being investigated on suspicion of attempted homicide said in a statement that “about 30 people” were injured especially into the circumstances of the crime no information can yet be provided about a motive The investigation is exploring all avenues.” “This is a terrible act committed against people who simply wanted to celebrate Carnival,” said Peter Beuth the interior minister for the state of Hesse He declined to comment on reports that a second person was detained following the crash Beuth said about a third of those injured were children who had come to watch the parade and collect candy that's traditionally thrown into the crowds at Carnival celebrations in Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel sent her condolences to those injured in the crash She also thanked the police and all medical personnel involved The crash came amid the height of Germany's celebration of Carnival All other Carnival parades in the central state of Hesse were ended Monday as a precaution Hesse state is still reeling from a racist shooting last week in the Frankfurt suburb of Hanau A 43-year-old man killed nine people with immigrant backgrounds late Wednesday before killing his mother and then himself News | World A man has intentionally driven a car into a crowd at a carnival parade in a small town in central Germany He declined to comment on reports that a second person had been detained He said about a third of the injured were children who had come to watch the parade and collect sweets that are traditionally thrown into the crowds at the celebrations She also thanked police and medical personnel involved Video from the scene showed a silver Mercedes with local licence plates on a pavement its front windscreen badly smashed and bonnet dented Forensic experts could be seen taking photos and measurements around the car walking around fragments of carnival costumes that littered the ground Germany is not adopting UK-style Rwanda plan Germany not adopting Tories' failed Rwanda plan UK announces missiles and more training for Ukrainian military Make more of London this autumn with these exciting experiences The crash came during the height of nationwide celebrations All other carnival parades in the central state of Hesse were ended on Monday as a precaution Hesse state is still reeling from a racist shooting last week in the Frankfurt suburb of Hanau A 43-year-old man killed nine people with immigrant backgrounds late on Wednesday before killing his mother and then himself Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Germany - Germany increased security at some carnival processions on Tuesday after a local man ploughed his car into a parade in the western German town of Volkmarsen The incident on Monday shook Germans still struggling to take in last week’s racist gun attack on two bars in the town of Hanau which left 11 people dead The Kassel district court ordered the suspect remanded in custody on suspicion of attempted murder grievous bodily harm and dangerous interference with road traffic a spokesman for the prosecutor said in a statement “The accused is suspected of having deliberately steered his car into a large group of people with the intention of killing on 24 February 2020 at around 2.45 pm during the Rose Monday procession in Volkmarsen,” the spokesman added Rose Monday is the height of the carnival season in Catholic areas of Germany especially in the Rhineland where tens of thousands of people dress up drink alcohol and line the streets to watch decorated floats that often mock public figures The 61 people injured - some of them seriously - were aged between two and 85 Investigations into the driver’s motive were continuing and all possibilities were being investigated While the driver was detained and treated for his own injuries townspeople puzzled over why he had done it “You have to be crazy or blinded by rage to do something like this,” said 58-year-old Volkmarsen native Rainer Bellmann An emergency responder said bystanders had punched the man while he tried to choke her as she leaned into the car to remove the key after his vehicle crashed He looked at you empty and dead and seemed so satisfied,” Lea-Sophie Schloemer told Welt television “It was really unnerving how satisfied he seemed.” Initial tests for alcohol were negative but that was not a final assessment and there were as yet no results from the drug test While some carnival processions in the state of Hesse other celebrations in the region went ahead Prosecutors said there was no concrete reason to think the risk of attacks at parades had increased but urged organizers to review security arrangements Security at public events in Germany has been tightened since a Tunisian man with Islamist militant ties ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016 He was later shot dead by Italian police after fleeing A police spokesman said he could not rule out that some of the injured in Volkmarsen were in a life-threatening condition The suspect will appear before an investigating magistrate as soon as his condition allows Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post Saturday’s Mad Collab Block Party in Hagåtña brought together more than 70 local businesses and artists in celebration with hundreds of attendees It was all about the wonders of Artificial Intelligence in the palm of your hand All of the latest features in Samsung's Galaxy AI were showcased at a GTA-sponsored event Thursday University of Guam students and alumni presented original research at the 19th annual International Conference on Business Economics & Information Technology (ICBEIT) hosted by the University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration in Mactan Newtown Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The number of people injured one day after a car rammed into a group of people during a carnival parade in the central state of Hesse is over 50 The police said in a statement that 52 people were injured in the incident in the small town of Volkmarsen was suspected of intentionally ramming the car into the carnival parade Frankfurt attorney's general office said the driver had not been under the influence of alcohol but they have not yet determined whether he had taken drugs On Monday night the police arrested a second person who filmed the incident The suspect was initially investigated for violating the right to privacy by filming the victims A MANIAC driver swerved around safety barriers before deliberately crashing "full throttle" into kids at a carnival parade today in Germany was set upon by an angry mob before police arrested him after the bloody carnage which left more than 30 people injured his silver Mercedes estate drove into a large group of locals lining the parade route at 2.45pm local time in the town of Volkmarsen They told news site HNA he swerved around special barriers before driving "full throttle" into the crowd and appeared to be targeting children One said the driver careered more than 30 metres into the gathered masses before his car eventually ground to a halt The driver was still pressing the accelerator when he was hauled from his mangled car by cops, Hessenschau reported And shocked locals told Bild that an angry mob quickly surrounded the crashed car meaning police had to protect the man as he was taken into custody Seven of the 30 people hurt are seriously injured Children are among those critically injured Authorities confirmed that the driver was arrested and is being probed for attempted homicide The official said there is no indication that the crash was politically motivated Police later said the 29-year-old deliberately ploughed into the crowd of people A police official told Bild that "psychological problems" may have played a role Attorney General Alexander Badle said: "He was not drunk and cannot be heard because of his injuries." a neighbour of the man told RTL: "I saw him drive away today 'I'll be in the newspaper soon.'" It is believed the 29-year-old German national sustained injuries while ploughing into the crowd Masked police were seen at the Volkmarsen home of the attacker this evening A second person  was also arrested after they filmed the car assault although it is not clear if they are a suspect Reinhard Kubat said: “Crying people came towards me There were mainly injured children on the street "Children came up to me and said it did added: “When I arrived there were 15 people on the floor She told how crying mums and dads were seen holding their injured kids in their arms Police say it is not yet known whether the shocking incident was the result of an accident or some kind of sickening attack "Regardless of whether it is a medical emergency or a technical failure or if at worst there is intention behind it we cannot say anything about it," said a force spokesman local police chiefs have urged people not to spread any "unconfirmed reports" about the incident Paramedics are still at the scene and treating the injured - including several young kids - in makeshift medical tents Dozens of ambulances and police units were also called to the scene along with an emergency helicopter Carnival celebrations take place in Germany every year in the week before Ash Wednesday Festivities peak on 'Rose Monday' with tens of thousands attending parades featuring comical  floats Today's shocking incident comes a week after a far-right terrorist shot nine people dead, then killed his mother and himself in the German town of Hanau. The gun maniac's body was found next to his dead 72-year-old mother in the early hours of Thursday morning 9mm pistol legally online with a gun licence he had owned since 2013 Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ This Page Has Washed AwayLooks like this page has disappeared with the tide — perhaps it’s buried in the sand at Vazon or drifting off Petit Port Germany (Reuters) – Germany increased security at some carnival processions on Tuesday after a local man ploughed his car into a parade in the western German town of Volkmarsen 2020 at around 2.45 pm (1345 GMT) during the Rose Monday procession in Volkmarsen,” the spokesman added The 61 people injured – some of them seriously – were aged between two and 85 Powered by PageSuite Drei Jahre nach der Amokfahrt ist die Fröhlichkeit zurück Der Karneval in Volkmarsen ist nach der Corona-Pandemie und der Aufarbeitung der Amokfahrt 2020 fulminant wieder auferstanden Am Rosenmontag säumten tausende Besucher die Straßen 18:14 UhrIm Mittelpunkt in Volkmarsen standen Prinz Markus II. zehn große Motivwagen und 18 kleinere Beiträge oder Fußgruppen waren es Tausende Besucher an den Straßenrändern jubelten den Narren zu Die Stimmung war bei bestem Jecken-Wetter ausgelassen freier Zugriff auf alle WB+ Inhalte und die News-App