'We can't let hate win': Wes Streeting urges Brits to still enjoy upcoming Pride events without fear despite 'horrifying' Berlin attack
One person was killed and 17 injured, with some in life-threatening condition, after a vehicle mowed down a crowd near Berlin's Pride celebrations
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has condemned the Berlin attack as a "horrifying spectacle", but urged Brits not to "let hate win" by avoiding Pride events in the UK.
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One person was killed and 17 injured, with some in life-threatening condition, after a vehicle mowed down a crowd near Berlin's Pride celebrations on Saturday evening, setting off a manhunt for those responsible.
Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered peacefully in the German capital for the annual Christopher Street Day celebrations, one of Europe's largest LGBTQ events, before the attack brought it to an abrupt end.
It is with this in mind that Mr Streeting told LBC's Sunday with Lewis Goodall that people should enjoy upcoming Pride events in the UK as they always would do.
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“We can't let hate win," he told Lewis.
"We always have a policing presence at major events, including Pride, and that's always a welcome presence.
"I think obviously the Home Secretary will, with the Chief Constable, assess risk in the normal way, and it's for the Home Secretary to make determinations with the police about whether additional resources are needed.
"My advice to people with Pride coming up is enjoy it and go as you always would do, and be who you are and be proud."
Berlin police told reporters that a white van struck multiple people after charging into the city's central Tiergarten park close to the Brandenburg Gate.
They have urged members of the public to help them find the suspect identified as Abdul B, adding that it was not clear whether he acted alone.
They said more than one person may have got out of the vehicle after it came to a halt close to the city's Brandenburg Gate.
He is described as slim, around 1.90 metres (6ft 2in) tall, with black hair, and last seen wearing a black hooded top and white trousers. They said he was part of the "Islamist spectrum".
Mr Streeting added: "It is a horrifying spectacle, and I'm sorry to say that we've seen far too many of these types of attacks on innocent people going about their lives.
"And while it's a fast-moving situation and too early to speculate on motive, my heart and prayers go out to the people of Berlin and right across Germany, who I think will be feeling shaken by this."
He went on to say that while LGBT people are in a better place than they ever have been in terms of legal rights and the changing of opinions.
Mr Streeting is the first openly gay Defence Secretary in the country's history.
However, he said that hate crime is still rising and this is why Pride is still needed.
"In many respects, we are in a much better place than we've ever been. We've got laws that secure our freedom. We've seen changing hearts and minds.
"But when it comes to rises in hate crime or worse, violent attacks, we can see that the job isn't done.
"So when people say, why do we bother with Pride, that is part of the answer.
"It is, of course, a celebration of how far we've come. But it is also a protest against those who don't accept us for who we are and who we love."