City of Köthen breaks with CSD organizers: Dispute over diversity escalated!

City of Köthen breaks with CSD organizers: Dispute over diversity escalated!

Köthen, Deutschland - Last Saturday, July 12, 2025, Christopher Street Day (CSD) took place in Köthen, Saxony-Anhalt. The event, which was under the motto "Diversity, love and acceptance", attracted over 1,000 visitors to the city's central market square. Despite the festive mood, the CSD was overshadowed by problems. A short -term ban on the regulatory office to use the electricity put the preparations to the test. On the part of the city there were massive discrepancies with the organizers, which led to a heated climate.

like Team , the city of Köthen decided to end the cooperation with the previous CSD organizers. Mayor Christina Buchheim (left) even takes criminal steps against the organizers. This comes after numerous conversations that, according to organizers, were very difficult. Before the event, they had asked the city to decide against the requirements agreed with the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district.

conflicts and allegations

The city of Köthen called out a sharp statement in which it described the accusations of the organizers as "baseless". She especially called Falko from the CSD Saxony-Anhalt e.V. and Julian from the CSD Köthen. According to queerlive , the critical reaction of the city is perceived as irresponsible in the queer community. There are massive concerns about the way the authorities deal with queer civil society actors.

It was only a year ago that the CSD experienced similar difficulties in Köthen as CSD opponents attached smearings and scattered butyric acid. This course shows the tensions that exist in rural areas between queer basic initiatives and traditional power structures. The uncertainty about the support of the city has also led to blocked approaches to vital infrastructure such as electricity and water, which many consider as targeted sabotage. The administrative court has already stated that the rejection of the special use for the CSD was illegal, which gives the conflict additional food.

a challenge for the Queere Community

The challenges in front of which the Queere Community stands in Köthen are a microcosm of the larger problem that exists throughout Germany. According to Deutschlandfunk Kultur , June is traditionally the start of the pride season with parades and protests for the rights of the LGBTQI*community. However, the threats to queer rights have increased significantly recently, and the increase in queer -hostile crimes shows that the achievements of the past, as the marriage for everyone or the self -determination law, can by no means be considered final.

In this context, the case of the CSD in Köthen is not only a local problem, but also reflects the existing tensions and challenges with which the Queere Community is confronted in Germany. Historians emphasize the need to continue to fight for the rights achieved and to show solidarity against attacks. The CSD in Köthen could not only be an example of the city, but for the entire country, how important it is to make diversity visible and to defend itself against discrimination.