Dozens hurt as car ploughs into German carnival parade

By Stephane Nitschke and Andreas Kranz

 

Police forensic officers work at the scene after a car ploughed into a carnival parade injuring several people in Volkmarsen, Germany February 24, 2020. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen

 

VOLKMARSEN, Germany (Reuters) - A German man ploughed his car into a carnival parade in the western town of Volkmarsen on Monday, injuring 30 people including children, police said, adding it was too early to say what his motive was.

 

German prosecutors and police said the suspect, a 29-year-old German citizen, was being treated for injuries sustained in the incident and they were looking into all possibilities.

 

He had been arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide, according to police.

 

"This is a terrible day, this is a terrible deed," said Peter Beuth, interior minister of Hesse, the western German state where Volkmarsen is located.

 

A third of those injured were children, he said, and police still had no indication of the possible motive.

 

"It can be assumed that it was intentional," police spokesman Henning Hinn said at the scene, where debris from the carnival littered the ground and a silver Mercedes-Benz car that appeared to have been involved was taped off by police.

 

He said eight to 10 of around 30 people injured were seriously hurt. "Among those who are seriously injured are children, unfortunately," he added. Bild newspaper said some of the injuries were life-threatening.

 

German news website HNA cited witnesses saying the man appeared to have targeted children and had driven "at full throttle" into the crowd, which had gathered for a traditional procession ahead of the Christian season of Lent.

 

"People were coming towards me, crying," Bild newspaper quoted local county commissioner Reinhard Kubat as saying.

 

"There were mainly injured children in the street, but also older people. Children came up to me and said it sounded like 'Plop, plop, plop' whenever the car ran over a person."

 

Police called off all carnival parades in Hesse as a precautionary measure, but said they were not aware of any danger elsewhere in Germany.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her thoughts were with the injured and their relatives and thanked police and medics.

 

The incident comes less than a week after a man shot dead nine people before killing his mother and himself, in one of the worst racist attacks in Germany since World War Two.

 

"ROSE MONDAY"

Carnivals are hugely popular in parts of western Germany, especially in Rhineland cities such as Cologne and Duesseldorf, where festivities peak on "Rose Monday" with tens of thousands attending street parades featuring comical or satirical floats.

 

Police cars and ambulances rushed to the scene in Volkmarsen, a small town 260 miles (420 km) west of Berlin.

 

German media said the driver deliberately broke through plastic barriers set up by police around the parade area, where 1,500 people were expected to gather.

 

The car continued driving through the crowd for about 30 metres (33 yards) before coming to a halt, a witness told local broadcaster Hessenschau.

 

In 2016, a Tunisian man with Islamist militant ties ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. He was later shot dead by Italian police after he fled Germany.

 

(Reporting by Michelle Martin, Joseph Nasr and Michael Nienaber; additional reporting by Alexander Ratz and Kevin Liffey; writing by Paul Carrel and Philippa Fletcher; editing by Gareth Jones, Mark Heinrich and Mike Collett-White)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-25

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Aww c$#@* another one my condolences to all affected I want to know the motivation of this scumbag 

Yes, see how the media tell us the real situation by referring to a "German citizen" and the reference to the "Christian lent" and just in case we don't understand this delicate treading on eggs, we are asked to recall something from 2016.

So, the usual suspects then?

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

These news articles lack crucial info like is it likely an islamist attack. Parade sounds like christian based.

 

A German man said to me a couple of weeks ago he thought there will be a civil war in Germany

Not in the near future.

According to Lenin as far as I can translate:

"If German revolutionists want to occupy a train station they first buy a platform ticket"

4 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

Let’s not forget to closely watch whether he’s vegan or not, and maybe his favorite football team should also be taken into consideration. Poor attempt to push your far-right hatred. Did you feel bad that it wasn’t an immigrant but a German? 

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

These news articles lack crucial info like is it likely an islamist attack. Parade sounds like christian based.

What crucial information are you missing exactly? “is it likely an Islamist attack” is not “crucial information”, it’s a question. 

 

6 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

Silly comment ????

Is there any difference between a lunatic driver with a name as Karl or Ali? ????

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

These news articles lack crucial info like is it likely an islamist attack. Parade sounds like christian based.

 

A German man said to me a couple of weeks ago he thought there will be a civil war in Germany

You mean a civil war against the NAZI-AFD?

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

Silly comment ????

Is there any difference between a lunatic driver with a name as Karl or Ali? ????

There's a difference in the reception and the reporting by german media.

A comment is not silly only because you don't understand ist.

12 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

There's a difference in the reception and the reporting by german media.

A comment is not silly only because you don't understand ist.

Maybe not only your comment is silly but........ Also the International Press and even the German as far translated is not expressing any racism as you do. Except maybe the AFD-Nazi party where you I suppose might be a follower? 

2 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Silly comment ????

Is there any difference between a lunatic driver with a name as Karl or Ali? ????

Yes! 

Just now, Scot123 said:

Yes! 

Tell me if you dare 

A lot of ostriches on here. I am shocked at the venom they attack anyone who dares accuse the religion of peace. I don't gamble but would put a month's pay on this being terrorism and the origin being M...... However the odds I would get would be so bad that I would loss money when correct. Let's just call it a mentally disturbed person and ignore the words Muslim and terrorist. Phew... Ah but stating facts or probabilities classes me as far right by the loonie virtue signalling St if chi turf in ffcyyh. A thought: if I am wrong like the others who draw the same conclusions as me we apologise however when the virtu signaling venom spitting lunatics get it wrong again and again the silence is deafening. 

Edited February 25, 20206 yr by Scot123
Coment

On the internet he is reported as a German citizen ,not as a native German ,make of that what you will 

8 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

On the internet he is reported as a German citizen ,not as a native German ,make of that what you will 

...and if he was reported as a “native German”, whatever that is, the far-right would point out that it wasn’t reported of what descent his grand-grand-parents were.
 

It’s quite revealing that race (or whatever it is that makes you “native”) makes a difference to you when people get killed. 

Edited February 25, 20206 yr by welovesundaysatspace

 

Quote

if I am wrong like the others who draw the same conclusions as me we apologise

Nah, when the far-right is wrong they accuse the “biased mass media” of fake news, or demand to see birth certificates going back to the grand-grand-parents to prove that the person really is of a race that’s allowed to kill people. 
 

btw, you wouldn’t have to apologize for anything if you didn’t wrongly accuse anyone of anything (particularly not a whole religion) in the first place. 
 

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 20206 yr by welovesundaysatspace

11 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

It seems he has the same religion as the guy who shot many people in bars last week and as the guy who shot people in Halle. It means you have to take care more of Karl/Hans/Fritz/Maurice than of Muhamed/Ali/Mehmet. 

 

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

These news articles lack crucial info like is it likely an islamist attack. Parade sounds like christian based.

 

A German man said to me a couple of weeks ago he thought there will be a civil war in Germany

What is so difficult to understand at "Carnival Parade"?
One German say it to you and thousands will say that it will not happen.

 

5 hours ago, rhyddid said:

German citizen,  but the "falang singha scientists & professors association" already mark it as muslim, incredible how huge paranoia virus got into such congregation brains . 

Now you see that you use stupid sources. It was a native German.

 

35 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

On the internet he is reported as a German citizen ,not as a native German ,make of that what you will 

A German is a German and German media never wrote "native German". Btw., when is a German a native German? Does he need a Aryan ID? Is it enough to live since 3 generations in Germany? And when is an American a native american? Only if he descends from Indians? And a native Australian is only someone who descends from Aborigines?

 

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

These news articles lack crucial info like is it likely an islamist attack. Parade sounds like christian based.

 

A German man said to me a couple of weeks ago he thought there will be a civil war in Germany

 

They haven't released details of the attacker. It was a Rose Monday (Rosenmontag) parade, which is celebrated in some parts of Germany and other European countries.

 

Having worked in Germany, love the country and people, for years, the thought of a civil war looming has crossed my mind. If this turns out to be a revenge attack for the Shisha bar shootings, then it doesn't bode well. 

4 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Maybe not only your comment is silly but........ Also the International Press and even the German as far translated is not expressing any racism as you do. Except maybe the AFD-Nazi party where you I suppose might be a follower? 

You may suppose what you like. I suppose you don't know anything about Germany and german politics. Dream on.

Edited February 25, 20206 yr by JustAnotherHun

5 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

It seems he has the same religion as the guy who shot many people in bars last week and as the guy who shot people in Halle. It means you have to take care more of Karl/Hans/Fritz/Maurice than of Muhamed/Ali/Mehmet. 

 

What is so difficult to understand at "Carnival Parade"?
One German say it to you and thousands will say that it will not happen.

 

Now you see that you use stupid sources. It was a native German.

 

A German is a German and German media never wrote "native German". Btw., when is a German a native German? Does he need a Aryan ID? Is it enough to live since 3 generations in Germany? And when is an American a native american? Only if he descends from Indians? And a native Australian is only someone who descends from Aborigines?

 

 

The phrase "German citizen" suggests someone who is ethnically not German. May have moved to Germany or be first, second generation immigrant. The use of the word "citizen" in qualifying nationality seems preferred by the PC politicians. 

 

3 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Having worked in Germany, love the country and people, for years, the thought of a civil war looming has crossed my mind.

A civil war in Germany. Right. Do you guys actually think before you post something? Makes me wonder if you actually have been to Germany at all. 

5 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The phrase "German citizen" suggests someone who is ethnically not German. May have moved to Germany or be first, second generation immigrant. The use of the word "citizen" in qualifying nationality seems preferred by the PC politicians. 

The media is supposed to report facts, not to please your xenophobia. 

 

13 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

Considering the last two instances have been done by 'native' germans i think the odds are quite good he is another one.

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

The phrase "German citizen" suggests someone who is ethnically not German.

Nothing to see here citizen so stop noticing things and get back to work.

If an avatar looks Nazi like, the people behind is one for sure.

1 hour ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

The far-right doing what it’s doing best: lies and fake news. 

No lies in that figure my lad just truth

Some inflammatory posts and the replies have been removed. 

 

Speculative trolling posts and the replies have been removed as there is no proof to back up the claims. 

14 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

Is this the german equivalent of blaming the burmese?

The driver has been partially named as Maurice P...

 

Volkmarsen attack: Almost 60 hurt after car drives into carnival crowd https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51626844

 

 

17 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

Maybe a Jew who lost family in the Hollucost.

17 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

German media writes "a german national".

I wonder, what the first name of this national might be. Will his name be Karl/Hans/Fritz? Or is it Muhamad/Ali/Mehmet?

What might his religion be? Katholic/protestant/none or maybe...?

I'll have to watch non german news closely to get the answer.

 

Edited February 25, 20206 yr by choff56
NA