Car plows into union rally in Munich, injuring at least 20 people

A police operation is under way in Munich after a car struck a crowd of people during a union rally.

According to the German newspaper Bild, a car was driven into pedestrians, and 20 people including children have been injured.

On social media, one witness, a German journalist, reported the incident occurred at a rally when a car ploughed into a demonstration.

The car hit people at a rally linked to the transport union Verdi. Picture: Getty

’People were sitting on the ground, crying and shaking. Details still unclear,’ the reporter added.

Munich’s mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) told German outlet BILD : "The police chief has just informed me that a vehicle drove into a group of people and unfortunately many people were injured, including children. I am deeply shocked. My thoughts are with the injured."

At around 10:30am the driver is reported to have accelerated before speeding into the demonstrators on Munich’s Seidlstrasse.

Pictures from the aftermath show a Mini Cooper with a smashed windscreen and crushed bonnet as police gather around to assess the damage.   

Munich Police have urged locals to avoid the area. “There will be traffic disruptions around the scene of the incident. Please avoid the area so that the emergency services can work unhindered,” the force said in a post to X/Twitter.

Dozens of ambulances and police can be seen at the site, surrounding the Mini.

The driver was detained at the scene and poses no further danger, police said.

❗️???????? - BREAKING: A Mini Cooper drove into a group of people during a Verdi demonstration in Munich, resulting in at least 15 injuries.

The driver was detained and poses no further threat. There are unconfirmed reports of gunfire prior to the incident. Emergency services are on… pic.twitter.com/3OeIsP5IdE

— ????????The Informant (@theinformant_x) February 13, 2025

The incident happened at the scene of a protest linked to the transport union Verdi, according to local media.

Regional public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk reported that the people who were hurt were apparently participating in a strike.

It comes as world defence leaders including US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy gather in the Bavarian city for a major security conference.

Sophie Walker