A Munich court on Thursday sentenced a 25-year-old Afghan refugee to life imprisonment for deliberately ramming his car into a crowd in 2025, resulting in two fatalities and numerous injuries. Identified only as Farhad N. under German privacy laws, the defendant was found to have acted out of religious extremism. The court further ruled that he will not be eligible for parole after the usual 15-year period associated with life sentences in Germany.

The incident occurred during a demonstration involving approximately 1,400 trade union supporters. Farhad N. drove a white Mini Cooper into the marching crowd, causing over 40 serious injuries. Among those affected, a woman and her 2-year-old daughter succumbed to their injuries in hospital several days later. Police officers accompanying the event detained Farhad N. immediately following the attack.

This sentencing follows a series of attacks in Germany in recent years carried out by individuals with migrant backgrounds, which have intensified public concerns over safety and fueled political discourse surrounding immigration policy. Last month, a German citizen of Lebanese descent with a record of criminal behavior and terrorist aspirations used a van to attack revelers departing from a gay Pride event in Berlin, killing one woman and injuring 29 others.

Earlier, in December 2024, a Saudi-born psychologist drove a rental vehicle into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, resulting in six deaths and hundreds of injuries. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison by a court in Magdeburg in June 2025.

These incidents have been cited as contributing factors to the rise in prominence of Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right, anti-immigration political party. The increased frequency of such attacks has significantly influenced public opinion and debate about refugee and immigration policies within the country.