World

Munich Car Crash Leaves at Least 20 Injured as Afghan Suspect Arrested

by Mohammed Ahmed
written by Mohammed Ahmed

A car ploughed through a crowd of around 1,000 demonstrators in Munich on Thursday, leaving at least 20 people injured, including a child. The incident occurred in the Dachauer Straße area at approximately 10:30 am, where striking city employees had gathered for a protest organised by the Verdi trade union.

Munich Police confirmed that the driver, a 24-year-old Afghan man, was arrested at the scene and no longer poses a threat. Witnesses reported that two men were inside the Mini Cooper involved in the crash, and there were unconfirmed reports of gunfire before the driver was detained.

The Munich car attack suspect has been reportedly identified as Farhad Noori, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker. Reports say he shared “Islamist posts” before ploughing into a crowd. His asylum was rejected, but deportation was suspended.

Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene, where injured individuals were seen lying on the ground while medical personnel provided aid. A mother pushing a pram was among those wounded. Police have yet to confirm whether the crash was intentional or the result of driver error.

Eyewitness accounts described the chaotic aftermath. Journalist Sandra Demmelhuber reported seeing people “crying and shaking” as they sat on the ground. Another demonstrator told Bayerischer Rundfunk that a man was trapped under the car before police intervened by breaking the vehicle’s window.

Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter expressed shock over the incident, stating that several people, including children, were injured. Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area while investigations continue, warning of traffic disruptions around the site. A witness collection point has been set up at Löwenbräukeller on Stiglmaierplatz.

The incident comes just weeks after a vehicle attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, where a car drove through a crowd, leaving at least two dead and nearly 70 injured. In both cases, authorities are working to determine whether the drivers acted deliberately.