Driver Rams into Labor Protest in Munich, Injuring 30 People
A car rammed into a labor union demonstration in Munich on Thursday, injuring 30 people, including children. Authorities believe it was an intentional attack. The driver, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker, was arrested after the incident.
The attack occurred at around 10:30 a.m. when members of the service workers' union ver.di were marching on a street. The driver, in a Mini Cooper, overtook a police vehicle following the demonstration, then accelerated and crashed into the group. Police responded by firing at the car, arresting the driver shortly afterward.
Some victims sustained serious injuries, and authorities continue to investigate the case. The car’s front was heavily damaged, with the windshield shattered, and the vehicle was later towed away for inspection. Officials say the suspect had a valid residence permit and had been previously known to authorities as a witness in an unrelated investigation.
Bavaria’s state officials have called the incident a likely targeted attack, though they have not ruled out other motives. The justice department’s terrorism unit is reviewing the case. Mayor Dieter Reiter confirmed that children were among those injured.
Recent Attacks Raise Concerns
This attack follows a string of violence in Germany linked to immigration. Three weeks earlier, a 2-year-old boy and a man were killed in Aschaffenburg by a suspect whose asylum application had been rejected. Other attacks involving immigrants, including knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen, have also raised tensions as migration becomes a key issue in the country’s upcoming elections.
In another related incident, a Saudi doctor rammed a car into a Christmas market in Magdeburg in December, drawing attention to potential security risks posed by individuals with immigrant backgrounds.
Calls for Tougher Migration Policies
The Munich incident has intensified calls from Germany’s opposition conservatives, including Bavaria's governor Markus Söder, for stricter immigration policies. The conservative bloc is demanding more deportations and a harder stance on irregular migration.
Söder expressed frustration, saying that Germany cannot continue to "show dismay" without taking action. Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, also called for an immediate change in migration policy, referring to the incident as further proof of the need for a “migration turnaround.”
However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government insists that it has already made significant efforts to reduce irregular migration. Scholz described the attack as “terrible” and emphasized that those who commit crimes in Germany will face severe consequences, including possible deportation.
Officials have confirmed that the suspect’s asylum application was likely rejected, but they had not been able to deport him yet. As Munich prepares for the upcoming Security Conference, authorities will increase security, though they do not believe the incident is linked to the event.
The investigation continues as German authorities work to determine the full motive behind the attack and address the growing concerns surrounding immigration and security in the country.
