Bautzen celebrates CSD despite right-wing protests: A sign for diversity!

Bautzen celebrates CSD despite right-wing protests: A sign for diversity!

The third Christopher Street Day (CSD) took place in Bautzen on Sunday, August 10, 2025, and the event brought several thousand people onto the streets. Under the motto "Human dignity is inviolable. Even in Bautzen!" Around 4,000 participants demonstrated for queer life and for more visibility in a region that is characterized by anti-queer voices. The event started at 12:30 p.m. at the Maria and Martha Church and, in addition to a demonstration, also included live music and speeches from prominent supporters such as the Bautzen CDU mayor Karsten Vogt and activists such as Luna Möbius. The program was supplemented by mobile information points to disseminate information about the queer community and its rights. Musical entertainment was provided by Bush.Ida from Cologne and JeLa J from Niesky, among others. The Sächsische reports that the CSD was primarily aimed at increasing the acceptance of queer lifestyles in smaller cities and to set an example for diversity and respect.

However, the event was not without difficulties. Parallel to the ceremony, there was a counter-rally of around 450 right-wing extremists who drew attention to themselves with hate slogans. This created a tense atmosphere, which was intended to be alleviated by the police present and an extensive security concept that was coordinated with an awareness team and stewards. Bautzen had already had to deal with similar incidents in recent years: last year, right-wing extremist protests led to the cancellation of the after-show party. According to Spiegel, the number of such right-wing extremist mobilizations has recently grown rapidly, which is alarming the organizers. Nevertheless, they described the demonstration as a success, especially because of the solidarity among the participants.

CSD as a platform for change

“We want to strengthen queer visibility in rural areas and set an example for solidarity,” explains Jonas Löschau, co-organizer of the event. This message was also supported by speaker Luna Möbius, who emphasized the importance of freedom and security for all people. The CSD in Bautzen not only brings joy to life, but also an urgent need for support for the queer community in rural regions. It is expected that despite the counter-protests, CSDs will continue to take place in Bautzen to stand up against discrimination and for human rights.

In the atmosphere of joy and fighting spirit, the organizers also ensured visibility and support from civil society groups such as tvBUNT, which promote democracy and diversity. In addition to supporting speakers and artists from the region, celebrities were also involved to create an accompanying video campaign.

Additional local topics

Aside from the CSD, there is other exciting news in the region. The Sorbian National Ensemble (SNE) has started a new season under the motto “Neuland”, in which numerous musical premieres and concerts are on the program. Unfortunately, due to financial savings, the ensemble had to cancel some productions and increase ticket prices. Nevertheless, highlights such as “Gundermann-Classic” and an anniversary for Abrafax can be expected among the planned performances.

Another topic that concerns the region is the train station in Wilthen. Safety measures are necessary here because falling structural parts endanger the platform. The owner is now looking for craftsmen to secure the roof and is planning to sell the building.

On the sporting side there is good news from Elstra. The Black Mountain Bike Park attracts approximately 6,000 visitors annually and offers five trails for mountain bikers. A special lift transports cyclists comfortably to the top of the mountain. Finally, the Trilex trains between Zittau and Ebersbach were stopped due to a bridge in Mittelherwigsdorf that was in danger of collapsing. There are hopes that rail services will resume soon when the bridge is demolished in September.