Berlin 'attack' as it happened: At least nine killed and 50 injured as lorry ploughs into Christmas market
German police have told Berliners to stay at home
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A lorry has driven through a crowded Christmas market in the centre of Berlin, killing several people and leaving more than 50 injured.
Latest updates
- Crash 'being investigated as an act of terrorism'
- Police tell Berliners to stay at home
- Suspected driver of lorry arrested
- Nine confirmed dead and more than 50 injured
- Chancellor Merkel being briefed by interior minister and Berlin mayor
- Facebook initiates Safety Check feature for Berliners
- Video shows destruction caused by lorry
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
Video of the aftermath showed people helping the injured on the ground.
Police said on Twitter that the truck rammed into the market outside the capital's popular Christmas market at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
Bild newspaper posted a picture of a large Scania truck with its windshield smashed out on the sidewalk alongside the market.
Eyewitnesses on social media reported hearing a big bang as the lorry entered the square.
Video showed destroyed hoardings and stalls.
Berlin police are encouraging people to use the Facebook safety check to learn if their loved ones are safe.
Czech authorities are increasing security after the crash.
Interior Minister Milan Chovanec tweeted to say security is being beefed up at places with a high concentration of people all across the country.
Mr Chovanec also said that more armed police officers will be on Czech streets. He said further possible security measures will be decided on Tuesday.
The circumstances of the crash is still unclear, a senior German official has said, dismissing reports the lorry could have been hijacked by militants as speculation.
"The sequence of events point to either an accident or an attack," Berlin State Interior Minister Andreas Geisel said.
The Polish owner of the truck said he feared the vehicle, originally driven by his cousin, may have been hijacked.
Ariel Zurawki said he last spoke with the driver around noon, and was told he was in Berlin and scheduled to unload on Tuesday morning.
Mr Zurawki told TVN24: "They must have done something to my driver."
The White House condemned what it called an apparent "terrorist attack" on the Christmas market.
"We have been in touch with German officials, and we stand ready to provide assistance as they recover from and investigate this horrific incident," National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
The United States has said the ramming of a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin "appears to have been a terrorist attack."
White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said the US condemns the attack "in the strongest terms."
He said the US is sending condolences to Germany's government and its people and thoughts and prayers to the relatives of those killed.
Mr Price added the US has been in contact with German officials over the incident.
He said the US is ready to assist Germany in investigating the incident and responding to it.
The White House said the US stands with Berlin in the fight against those who "target our way of life and threaten our societies."
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