> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Berlin Pride marchers warn of rising homophobia amid political backlash
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/berlin-pride-marchers-warn-of-rising-homophobia-amid-political-backlash/
- Published: 2025-07-29T09:27:54.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-29T09:27:54.000Z
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: Pride, Europe

**Berlin**’s **Christopher Street Day** (CSD) parade drew record crowds this weekend with marchers and activists using the occasion to raise alarm over a surge in homophobia and what they see as a dangerous shift in Germany’s political climate.

Under the defiant slogan ***“Never shut up,”*** tens of thousands filled the streets with rainbow flags, music, and protest signs. But behind the festivities was a growing sense of urgency.

“This year, we’re not just marching for visibility - we’re marching for survival,” said activist **Leila Hassan**, a spokesperson for **Queer Berlin United**. “The rhetoric coming from our government is emboldening hate. We’ve seen it before, and we won’t let history repeat itself”.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/2025/07/size-966x543.jpg)

The parade came just weeks after Bundestag President **Julia Klöckner** banned the rainbow flag from flying over the German parliament. Chancellor **Friedrich Merz** defended the move, dismissing the Pride flag as a “circus” - a remark that drew sharp criticism from LGBTQ+ groups and even members of his own party.

“Calling our flag a circus is not just disrespectful - it’s dangerous,” said **Chris Kelly**, a local business owner and long-time resident of Berlin’s LGBTQ+ stronghold, **Nollendorfplatz**. “It sends a message that our lives are a spectacle, not something to be respected or protected”.

The political climate has coincided with a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ incidents. At least 17 far-right protests have targeted Pride events across Germany this year, and some cities have cancelled their parades due to safety concerns. In Berlin’s **Marzahn** district, a recent Pride event required a heavy police presence to prevent violence.

Despite the threats, the community remains defiant. “We’re here, we’re proud, and we’re not going anywhere,” said **Nyke Slawik**, a **Green Party** MP and one of Germany’s few openly trans lawmakers. “We need to enshrine LGBTQ+ rights in our constitution and treat attacks on our community as what they are - hate crimes”.

Organisers said the record turnout was a sign of both solidarity and resistance. “Pride has always been political,” said Hassan. “And this year, it’s more political than ever”.