Uneven wording, but I believe the article is saying a driver had the apparent intention of crashing his car into a group of pedestrians gathered at a festival. The police recognized that intent and were in pursuit of this driver.
The police were able to purposely collide with the driver, stopping the vehicle from moving, thus protecting the group of pedestrians he had targeted.
Every outdoor festival (here lately) seems to attract a certain amount of Kooks with ill intent.
Sorry but no. They were just another bunch of drug thugs fleeing pursuit but they would have plowed into the crowd at the festival.