Berlin Pride attack memorial tree uprooted, police say

A maple tree planted in Berlin's Tiergarten park to remember victims of a fatal attack on the city's July Pride march was uprooted, German police said on Sunday.

The tree had been planted in August alongside a rainbow bench as a place of remembrance for victims of the attack, which killed a 65-year-old Polish woman and wounded around 30 people.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that the commemorative tree had been pulled up by the roots. Public radio RBB had reported the incident.

The damage came days after police said wooden slats had been torn from the adjacent rainbow bench with "considerable physical violence". Police said other nearby benches had been left intact.

Werner Graf, head of the Green group in the Berlin parliament, said the tree would be replanted. Mitte district council has also pledged to replace the damaged bench.

Police suspect the July Pride attack was carried out by a 21-year-old German man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Police shot the suspect dead the following day after he had gone on the run.