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# Berlin Metro station repainted in rainbow colours despite Reichstag Pride flag ban
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/berlin-metro-station-repainted-in-rainbow-colours-amid-pride-flag-ban/
- Published: 2025-07-25T11:02:10.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-25T13:37:18.000Z
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: Europe

In a bold and colourful act of defiance, Berlin’s municipal transport company has transformed the **Bundestag U-Bahn** station with a vibrant rainbow makeover, following a controversial decision by Germany’s conservative leadership to ban Pride flags at the **Reichstag**.

The move comes just days before the city’s annual **Christopher Street Day** (CSD) Pride parade, a major event in Berlin’s LGBTQ+ calendar. The makeover includes rainbow-painted staircases and a large Pride flag adorning the station entrance, situated just steps away from the German parliament building.

The gesture is widely seen as a response to Bundestag President **Julia Klöckner**’s recent directive prohibiting the display of rainbow flags on and around the Reichstag. Klöckner, a member of the **Christian Democratic Union** (CDU), cited parliamentary house rules in her decision, which also required MPs to remove Pride symbols from their offices. Chancellor **Friedrich Merz** supported the move, controversially stating that the Reichstag “is not a circus tent”. 

The backlash has been swift. Opposition leaders and LGBTQ+ advocates have criticised the ban as regressive and out of step with Berlin’s inclusive spirit. Former Berlin mayor **Klaus Wowereit**, who came out publicly in 2001, condemned the Chancellor’s remarks, calling them “stupid” and urging greater responsibility from national leaders.

Berlin’s public transport operator, **BVG**, took to Instagram to unveil the rainbow-themed station, writing, “We are happy to help you fly the flag,” and adding, “So our Bundestag is not ready for CSD”.

The revamped station is expected to be a focal point during Saturday’s Pride parade, which will wind its way through central Berlin, passing landmarks including the **Bundesrat** and **Brandenburg Gate**.