Children among at least 20 people injured after car drives into crowd in Munich just one day before security conference

A car has driven into a group of people in Munich, leaving several people injured.

The police department in the German city has confirmed a major incident is underway, less than 24 hours before the Munich Security Conference is due to begin.

There is a large-scale police operation underway near the central train station and officers are working to verify what has happened, a spokesperson said without giving further details.

US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky are arriving in the Bavarian city later today.

An eyewitness told local media that the car deliberately drove into the crowd. Eyewitnesses also spoke of two men, one of whom was shot by the police and carried away.

Another witness said: “I went with the demonstration…I saw that a man was lying under the car. Then I tried to open the door, but it was locked.”

An eyewitness on the scene said that the Mini had hit a woman with a child. The demonstrator said: “Mother and child were apparently lying under the car.”

The incident appears to have affected people participating in a demonstration linked to a strike organised by the Verdi union, according to the local BR broadcaster. The union said it did not have any information on the incident.

Munich mayor Dieter Reiter told 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.”

The incident occurred around 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) from the security conference venue. Security has been in sharp focus in Germany ahead of a federal election next week and following a string of violent attacks.

In December, a car drove into a group of people at a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg, leaving at least two dead and nearly 70 injured.

More to follow…