More than 75 vehicles, around 100 groups and several hundred thousand people marched through Berlin on Saturday at Christopher Street Day (CSD). They demonstrated over a distance of more than seven kilometers in several Berlin districts under the motto “Be their voice – and ours! For more empathy and solidarity!”. The city was bathed in rainbow colors.
A splash of color in the otherwise rather gray Chancellery.
(PHOTO: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP)
A flag also hung at the Federal Chancellery. Also on the T-shirt of Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD). The fact that the President of the Bundestag took over the opening together with the Governing Mayor Kai Wegner was a first. Wegner was also the first Berlin CDU head of government who had agreed to do so. However, there were also a number of boos during his speech to the queer community.
Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) and Berlin’s Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) opened the CSD.
(Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa)
The CDU politician held out the prospect of an extension of Article 3 in the Basic Law. Article 3 deals with equality and prohibits discrimination and favoritism based on certain characteristics. “My firm commitment to this Berlin Senate is: We want to change Article 3 of the Basic Law. Sexual identity has to be included,” he said.
Bundestag President Bas called for action against discrimination: “We must set a clear signal for a free, diverse, diverse society,” she said. Discrimination is also increasing in Germany. “And we all have to defend ourselves against this and stand up against it together and show our attitude.”
After the long procession through the city, the demonstration ends at the Brandenburg Gate.
(Photo: ANNEGRET HILSE/REUTERS)
The organizers had registered 500,000 participants for the demonstration. The Berlin CSD is one of the largest events of the LGBTIQA* community in Europe. The abbreviation stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersexual, queer, asexual and other.