Vehicles Used as Weapons: A Global Crisis

Over the past decade, vehicles have become deadly weapons in various attacks around the world. These incidents have had different motives and perpetrators, including Islamic extremists, far-right groups, and individuals with personal grudges or mental health issues. The Magdeburg Christmas market attack in Germany, for instance, was carried out by a doctor with far-right views. In China, a man rammed his car into people at a sports complex, killing 35, due to his distress over a divorce. The use of vehicles as weapons has significantly impacted urban planning, with cities erecting barriers to protect public spaces. Some notable examples include the 2017 Barcelona attack claimed by ISIS, where a van drove into crowds on Las Ramblas, and the 2017 Charlottesville attack, where a white supremacist drove into counter-protesters.