Police arrested an Afghan asylum seeker at the scene of what German leaders labelled a car ramming "attack" that injured 28 people, some seriously, in the southern city of Munich Thursday.

The carnage came on the eve of a high-profile security conference in the Bavarian city and amid a heated immigration debate ahead of February 23 elections following a spate of similar attacks.

The vehicle, a Mini Cooper, barrelled into a demonstration held by trade unionists, leaving a trail of injured and their belongings scattered on the street, including a baby stroller.

Police who rushed to the scene fired a shot at the battered car and detained the driver, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker who was named by German media as Farhad N.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the "awful" attack and promised severe consequences.

"From my point of view it is quite clear: this attacker cannot count on any mercy, he must be punished and he must leave the country," Scholz told reporters.

Shoes, glasses and........

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