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Germany's Pride parades exposed to increasing extremist threats
Ahead of Christopher Street Day (CSD) demonstrations -- also known as LGBTQ Pride parades -- Germany's CSD association has warned about an increase in the number of anti-queer crimes -- including hostility seen at some events.
"We have a massive increase in online threats," Kai Bölle, board member of the CSD Germany association, told the DPA.
Bölle cited groups of young right-wing extremists that have called for counter-actions, adding that the tone "has taken on a new quality."
Threatening emails to CSD organisers are used to try to create a climate of fear, said Bölle.
He added that in some places "participants are becoming more cautious, arranging to meet in groups to move from train stations to the demo and back."
In 2024, 27 organised counter-actions by right-wing extremist groups were counted at CSD events.
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Calls for nationwide reporting on queerphobia
Anti-queer crimes fall within the broader category of politically motivated crime.
According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, 1,765 cases of politically motivated crimes related to sexual orientation were reported last year (up 18 percent compared to 2023), as well as 1,152 cases directed against trans or non-binary people (up 35 percent).
Andre Lehmann, board member of the LSVD⁺ Association for Queer Diversity, said that queer-hostile hate crime had once again reached a "sad peak".
But he said that the numbers don't show the full extent of the problem: "About 90 percent of crimes against queer people still remain in the dark."
Lehmann sees a lack in uniform reporting standards among the German states, and therefore calls for a nationwide reporting office to help illuminate the number of unreported cases.
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Christopher Street Day events begin in June and continue through July
CSD parades are demonstrations for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people often organised by the Pride associations of various German cities.
Christopher Street Day takes its name from gay club the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in New York, which was stormed by police in June 1969. The raid sparked the Stonewall Riots, six days of serious clashes between bar patrons, local residents and law enforcement.
Some CSD events start from the beginning of June, which is known as Pride month internationally.
CSD demonstrations are planned for Saturday in Hanover, Saarbrücken and Schwerin, among other German cities.
German Pride Day, however, is celebrated on July 3rd.
Berlin's massive CSD parade is typically held on a Saturday toward the end of July -- this year it's set for July 26th.
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With reporting by DPA.
