Cologne Pride draws 1.5 million attendees as anxieties over anti-LGBTQ+ backlash mount
Organizers estimated that around 1.5 million people lined the streets of Cologne on Sunday for one of Europe's largest Pride parades, a turnout that surpassed even their own expectations. The event, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day (CSD), saw some 60,000 participants marching in 250 groups.
“According to our parade organizers, the city has never been as crowded for the CSD demonstration as it was this year,” ColognePride said in a statement.
Among the crowd was Martin, a 35-year-old from Gießen, dressed head-to-toe in rainbow colors and carrying an inflatable flamingo. He attends more than 20 Pride events each year. “The only time I can go on holiday is for a skiing trip—from May to September I’m on the road,” he said.
Martin told dpa that he came out in his early 20s. “I rang my parents and said, ‘I’ve got something to tell you.’ But they said, ‘Well we can already guess what it is.’” His father made only one request: “If you ever have a boyfriend, please introduce him to us at home. Before I die, I want to know that you’re happy.”
Yet Martin’s everyday life is far less accepting. He wears rainbow colors even outside Pride events. “Cars stop, people shout things at me. Swear words. Gestures. I get spat on. On the train, people won’t sit next to me,” he said. He added that prejudice and attacks have recently intensified. “When there are certain far-right parties ensuring that certain topics are becoming socially acceptable again, I find myself thinking even more: Can I go out like this?”
“There’s this fear, even with the current federal government: Are certain rights we’ve fought for secure, or could they be taken away again?” he said.
Other demonstrators shared his concern. “The wind is blowing harshly, and especially against the queer community,” drag queen Meryl Deep told dpa.
Growing anti-gay sentiment had been a talking point ahead of the parade. Herbert Reul, interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Cologne is located, attended for the first time. “I’m here because I’m increasingly concerned,” he said. “We increasingly have people demanding to decide how we should live. And that’s wrong.” Reul noted that the police—which he represents—protect everyone, regardless of lifestyle, and described the parade’s creativity and cheerful atmosphere as impressive. He said the large turnout sent a clear message.
Former Green party culture minister Claudia Roth said: “We are here today in Cologne as the largest demonstration for democracy in our country.” Former Social Democrat health minister Karl Lauterbach added that the parade was more important than ever, citing increased pressure from the political right. “Where rights are abolished and the people affected can no longer be seen, then we will go under,” he said.
Thomas, a 58-year-old attendee, noted that Pride parades are now common even in small towns, especially in areas where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is strong. “More and more people are taking to the streets,” he said.
CSD commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising in New York, when police raided a gay bar on Christopher Street—a flashpoint that spurred the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.