More than 200,000 people at a colorful CSD demo in Hamburg | NDR.de – News

After the demo, the police spoke of 200,000 to 250,000 participants. According to the organizer Hamburg Pride, around 250,000 people took to the streets. “We are absolutely satisfied,” said organizer Manuel Opitz. Hamburg has sent a very clear signal. The motto of the parade was “Self-determination now! Allied against trans*phobia”.

Tschentscher and Fegebank demonstrate with

The demonstration train had started moving in the long row at noon. Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) and Hamburg’s second mayor Katharina Fegebank (Greens) also lined up at the front. “Hamburg stands for tolerance and diversity,” wrote Tschentscher on Twitter in the afternoon. “Christopher Street Day is bringing this message to the streets again this year.” Fegebank said she was demonstrating “because it’s important to me that we as a whole society stand up and fight for visibility and acceptance of different ways of life, especially in times when the tone is getting rougher.”

A colorful caravan with more than 100 groups and more than 40 trucks made their way through the city center from Lange Reihe to Jungfernstieg. Because of the large number of demonstrators, the convoy kept stopping. According to the police, there were no incidents.

Hamburger CDU not part of the demo

The Hamburg CDU was not present at the CSD demo. Because the party has a different view than the organizers of the right of self-determination for trans people, she had been uninvited from the demo. At the CSD street festival on the Binnenalster, which began on Friday, the CDU again has its own stand. Many clubs, institutions and groups will be presenting themselves at the street festival on Jungfernstieg and Ballindamm until Sunday.

Organizer: CSD remains important

The day before the demo said Manuel Opitz from the organizer Hamburg Pride that a lot has already been achieved, but that the CSD remains important in order to get involved in social acceptance. The shitstorm about after Raising the rainbow flag at City Hall shows that the social climate has become rougher. “What worries us a lot is that there hasn’t been a single major CSD in recent months without attacks on queer people – from taking away rainbow flags and burning them to hitting beer bottles on the head,” says Opitz. Hamburg Pride and the police had sharpened their security concept again before the demo.

Demo for the CSD in Hamburg since 1980

Christopher Street Day commemorates June 28, 1969, when police stormed the Stonewall Inn, a New York gay and lesbian bar on Christopher Street, sparking multi-day protests by gay, lesbian, and transgender people. The CSD aims to draw attention to the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, intersex and queer people. Every year since 1980, people have taken to the streets in Hamburg to campaign for the acceptance and equality of all sexualities and gender identities.

Further information

Trans people need more rights. Criticism of this uses flimsy arguments, says Jörn Straehler-Pohl in his commentary. (08/05/2023) more

Hatred online and attacks on the street: Manuel Opitz from Hamburg Pride sees the social climate worsening (08/04/2023). more

The organizers do not want the CDU to be present at the CSD demo on Saturday. Reason are statements about trans people. (07/31/2023) more

Hamburg’s second mayor Fegebank gave the starting signal for Pride Week by hoisting the flag. (07/28/2023) more

Gays and lesbians have been demonstrating for acceptance and tolerance in Hamburg for 40 years. On June 28, 1980, the Stonewall demonstration, the forerunner of Christopher Street Day, made its way through the city for the first time. (07/31/2020) more