Merz vows response to Berlin Pride attack amid outcry over suspect being let near event

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed action after a deadly vehicle ramming at Berlin's Pride parade. The suspect, Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots, was shot dead by police. He had been convicted of planning a violent act but received a suspended sentence. The attack sparked debate over judicial leniency and surveillance failures.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday vowed a response to the deadly vehicle ramming attack at Berlin's Pride parade, as debate erupted over why the suspect was not in prison. The suspect, Abdul Ballout, 21, a German citizen with Lebanese roots, was shot dead by police on Sunday. He had been convicted in May of planning a serious act of subversive violence and sentenced to 1 year 10 months suspended, partly due to time served in Lebanon. One Polish woman in her 60s was killed, 29 wounded. Merz questioned how the suspect approached the event under surveillance. The attack comes two months before Berlin elections, with the far-right AfD criticizing Merz's policies. Interior Minister tasked with reviewing jurisdiction over surveillance of convicted criminals.