Unscrupulous attack on diversity: Bad Freienwalde shaken!

Unscrupulous attack on diversity: Bad Freienwalde shaken!

A violent incident marred the street festival in Bad Freienwalde on Sunday afternoon, which had the motto diversity and against anti-queer hostility. A group of 10 to 15 masked people stormed the festival shortly before the official opening, injuring at least two people, including families with children. The attackers were armed with striking tools and wooden sticks and showed a high level of organization, as evidenced by eyewitnesses. A command “Abort” was used, which indicates a targeted approach. The incident is classified as right-wing extremist. The taz reports that an attacker was seen wearing a black, white and red balaclava.

The police, who were not initially on site, only arrived after the incident. The cause of the attack is now being investigated by the state security agency, although the perpetrators fled immediately and could not be identified until Sunday evening. There were also reports of an uncertain police presence despite previous indications of possible disruption. Samuel Signer, leader of the meeting, was critical of the police response time and their deployment.

Solidarity and reactions

In the wake of the attack, numerous politicians and groups spoke out. Brandenburg's Interior Minister René Wilke condemned the act as an attack on social coexistence and called for a quick investigation. The Amadeu Antonio Foundation also called the incident a clear expression of extremist violence and urged vigilance, especially at future queer events. Current developments show a worrying increase in anti-queer crimes in Germany, as shown in the Crime Report. More than 1,700 such crimes were recorded in 2023, an increase of almost 50% compared to the previous year.

Politicians such as Katrin Göring-Eckardt and Erik Stohn described the incident as organized intimidation, while AfD state chairman René Springer called for a complete investigation and condemnation of all acts of violence from political camps.

A celebration of diversity despite the violence

Despite the attack, the festival continued with a significantly lower mood and a heavily armed police presence. The organizers of the “Bad Freienwalde is colorful” alliance continued to advocate for a symbol of diversity and against discrimination, which was made clear by the participation of around 400 people, including queer people and people with refugee and migration experience. The festival celebrated its fifth edition this year, and strong warnings were issued against the threat of right-wing extremism. Reporting on such incidents and solidarity with the victims are essential to promote visibility for a colorful and diverse Brandenburg.

The incidents in Bad Freienwalde are not isolated. There are always disruptions and threats at similar events. The worrying radicalization among young people in the region, as described by Tom Kurz from the advice center for victims of right-wing violence, represents a challenge that politics and society must face together.