"United in love": Berlin celebrates Christopher Street Day

Created: 2022-07-23Updated: 2022-07-23 5:19 PM

The Christopher Street Day (CSD) train pulls at the Victory Column to the Brandenburg Gate.

© Monika Skolimowska/dpa

Finally a "real" CSD in Berlin again, say many.

And we want to party till we drop.

The queer community also sends political messages from the capital.

Berlin – Loud, colorful and shrill: After two years of restrictions due to the corona pandemic, a large party parade for Christopher Street Day (CSD) with tens of thousands of people moved through the city on Saturday in Berlin.

The demonstration procession with almost 100 vehicles, loud house, disco and electro beats, cannonades of confetti and lots of imaginatively dressed foot soldiers led through several Berlin districts on a 7.4 kilometer route.

The starting point was the Spittelmarkt in Mitte and the goal was the Brandenburg Gate.

A final party with a stage program was planned there until late in the evening.

According to an estimate by the police, around 150,000 people took part in the hour-long demonstration, which progressed slowly in the streets, which were often lined with crowds.

More could be added by the end of the CSD, it said.

The organizers did not name any numbers, but had already stated in advance that they were expecting up to 500,000 participants spread over the day.

The Berlin CSD is one of the largest events of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer community in Europe.

On the one hand, the participants took action against violence and discrimination.

On the other hand, they wanted to have a mega summer party and just have fun.

This was also expressed in the motto of the demonstration: It read "United in love.

Against Hate, War and Discrimination”.

According to the organizer, 96 vehicles and at least 80 foot groups from all over the world took part in the demonstration - more than ever before at the CSD in Berlin, which was now in its 44th edition.

Among them were people from the Ukraine, which has had to defend itself against a Russian war of aggression for five months.

You've been given a truck.

"War kills my love" was written on a poster held up by a young woman in the demonstration - "War kills my love".

For the mega-party in beautiful, not too hot summer weather, many participants really dressed up: Whether expansive feather costumes in pink, glittering pants, golden skirts, black leather outfits with masks or just light summer clothes - whatever you like was allowed.

Almost naked women also lined up in the hustle and bustle, other participants attracted attention with blue or pink dyed hair.

Along the route there were thousands upon thousands of cheering spectators, and people waved rainbow flags from buildings along the train.

The trucks spread music, confetti rain or artificial fog, sometimes bobbing to the beat as their passengers danced on the loading area.

Among the vehicles was an old omnibus with the windows removed and decorated from top to bottom with red and pink balloons.

But it was also about political messages.

At the opening, Berlin's Senator for Culture, Klaus Lederer (left), recalled the Russian war against Ukraine.

“Thousands of people have fled, including many queer people.” In Germany, people from the community are discriminated against, complained Lederer, who is openly gay himself.

The fight against this and for equality must go on.

"We have to emancipate ourselves."

A novelty in Berlin: On the occasion of the 44th edition of the CSD, three rainbow flags waved for the first time at and on the Reichstag building, the seat of the Bundestag.

The Chancellor's Office and other institutions such as the Federal Ministry of the Interior or the Federal Ministry of Defense also set an example for diversity and tolerance with the flag, the Bundesrat had also announced this.

Only in April did the Ministry of the Interior officially grant permission for the symbol to be hoisted in front of or on federal official buildings on certain occasions.

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Christopher Street Day is celebrated worldwide.

The movement dates back to events in June 1969, when New York police officers stormed a bar on Christopher Street, sparking a riot by gay, lesbian and trans people.

In the last two Corona years, the CSD in Berlin only took place to a limited extent.

The parade was officially canceled in 2020, but a few thousand people still took to the streets at an alternative event.

In 2021, tens of thousands demonstrated at a slimmed-down CSD parade under strict corona conditions, and there was also a ban on alcohol.

dpa