A car has been driven into the gates of Angela Merkel's Federal Chancellery building in Berlin, German police say.

No casualties were reported and the background to the incident was unclear.

However, the car had messages daubed in white on both sides. One called for an end to "globalisation politics" while another referred to "you damned killers of children and old people".

Mrs Merkel is holding talks with regional leaders on Wednesday about extending Covid safety measures.

Germany's "lockdown light" is expected to be extended until 20 December.

Mrs Merkel will discuss a draft proposal agreed by the 16 state premiers to keep hotels and restaurants shut and limit private gatherings to five people (not including children under 14). A special Christmas exemption from 23 December to 1 January would allow gatherings of up to 10 people.

German health officials reported 410 deaths on Wednesday - the highest daily number since the pandemic began. However, Germany has seen proportionally far fewer fatalities than other Western European countries, with a total of 14,771.

Germany has a large protest movement against Covid-19 measures, including many anti-vaccination activists. Protesters rallied in the centre of Berlin last week close to the parliament building, the Reichstag, before the protest was broken up by police.

German reports said the car involved in Wednesday's incident was registered to an area some distance away from Berlin, in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

However, there were indications that the crash might not be connected to Covid-protests. Reports suggested the Volkswagen estate car was the same as one used in a similar incident in February 2014. Slogans daubed on the car then called for an end to climate change along with the simple message: "Nicole, I love you." A 48-year-old man was detained at the time.

Police on Wednesday said they were still establishing whether the latest car crash was deliberate. The driver has been taken into custody and the car towed away from the gate.

Angela Merkel, 66, has just marked 15 years as chancellor and is planning to step down from the post next year. Her Christian Democrat party is doing well in the opinion polls, partly because of her handling of the pandemic.