Authorities disband LGBTQ+ demonstration at Berlin's CSD event
The city of Berlin witnessed a storm of controversy on June 28, 2021, as the Berlin police forcibly shut down the "Internationalist Queer Pride for Liberation" protest, a demonstration that was part of the city's Christopher Street Day celebrations.
The protest, which attracted approximately 10,000 participants, began at Südstern and was intended to be a show of solidarity and resistance, focusing on solidarity with Palestine and resistance to racism, colonialism, and capitalism. The intended destination of the protest was Oranienplatz. However, the police intervened hours early, citing "attacks on officers" and alleged antisemitic chants as reasons for the shutdown.
The intervention, which resulted in the detainment of 57 individuals, has sparked debates about the suppression of queer voices and protests. Critics view this incident as part of a broader pattern of state repression against marginalized groups. The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner had previously warned Berlin police about the use of excessive force.
Video footage online shows police using force against protestors, including dragging people to the ground. Approximately 17 police officers were injured during the protest, and reports suggest that glass bottles, paint, and flagpoles were thrown.
The organisers claim that the police overreacted and escalated tensions unnecessarily. The controversy surrounding the police intervention has drawn criticism from human rights groups, adding to a growing list of controversial police interventions in Berlin.
Berlin's governing mayor Kai Wegner had previously stated that police would intervene "robustly and consistently." Despite the controversy, it is unclear whether the police action was justified, as no detailed accounts from the search results specify the precise reasons given by police for the shutdown or the immediate justification for detaining those 57 individuals.
Fifty-seven people were detained, and 54 criminal complaints were filed, with charges including assault and property damage. The controversy continues to unfold, with the queer community and allies in Berlin expressing concerns about the forceful nature of the police intervention and its timing during the Christopher Street Day festivities.
[1] The Local. (2021, June 29). Berlin police shut down queer pride protest, detain 57 people. Retrieved from https://www.thelocal.de/20210629/berlin-police-shut-down-queer-pride-protest-detain-57-people
[2] Deutsche Welle. (2021, June 29). Berlin's queer pride protest shut down by police amid violence. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/berlins-queer-pride-protest-shut-down-by-police-amid-violence/a-58574799
- The intervention by Berlin police during the "Internationalist Queer Pride for Liberation" protest, a part of the Christopher Street Day celebrations, has fueled discussions about the suppression of queer protests and the broader pattern of state repression against marginalized groups, especially in light of the Council of Europe's prior warnings regarding excessive force.
- The controversy surrounding the shutdown of the queer pride protest in Berlin has led to criticism from human rights groups, with accusations of unnecessary escalation by the police, and concerns about the forceful nature of the intervention, particularly as it occurred during the festive Christopher Street Day celebrations.
