A black SUV tore through a festive crowd in Mannheim’s city center Monday, leaving a trail of casualties and fear just as Germany’s carnival season hit its stride. Witnesses watched in horror as the vehicle barreled from Paradeplatz square toward the iconic water tower, mowing down revelers in a high-speed nightmare, according to the Mannheimer Morgen and Mannheim24 news outlets.
Police swarmed the scene, launching a major operation but keeping details tight for now. Emergency crews scrambled to help the injured—some seriously hurt—amid the glitter and costumes of what was supposed to be a joyous day.
It’s peak carnival time, with Rhineland cities like Mannheim buzzing with parades and partiers. But this crash lands like a gut punch after weeks of violence rocking Germany—think deadly car attacks in Magdeburg last December and Munich in February, plus a brutal stabbing in Mannheim back in May 2024. Nerves? Already frayed.
Cops were on edge anyway—Islamic State-linked social media had been buzzing with threats targeting carnival events in Cologne and Nuremberg. Now, with sirens blaring and a city on lockdown, Mannheim’s celebration has turned into a scene no one saw coming. What’s next? Everyone’s holding their breath.