Growing threat: CSD demos are violently hostile-police switched on!

Growing threat: CSD demos are violently hostile-police switched on!

Hannover, Deutschland - The increase in queer -hostile crimes in Germany is alarming and has reached a critical threshold in recent years. According to the current report of the Federal Criminal Police Office, a total of 1,785 cases against lesbian, gays, bisexual, trans- and interlectors and other queer people were recorded, particularly in 2023. This represents an increase of almost 50 percent compared to the previous year, when 1,188 acts were registered. The most common forms of crimes are insults, acts of violence, incitements, coercion and threats, with over a third of the deeds motivated politically. In the reporting year, too, 212 people were victims of acts of violence, which also represents a worrying increase compared to 197 in 2022. Politically motivated hate crime is referred to as a “embassy act” and aims at people with certain characteristics.

The situation around the Christopher Street Day (CSD), which attracts countless participants every year, is particularly worrying. Last year there were 150 CSD events with around three million visitors. Kai Bölle, board member of the CSD Germany association, reports a massive increase in online threats against the events. Right -wing extremist groups have also started to actively mobilize the demos and call them up to counter -actions, with 27 organized counter -actions already counting in 2024. This creates a climate of fear among the participants.

increasing threats and security measures

The police are sensitized nationwide to ensure the safety of the CSD demonstrations. Nevertheless, participants report on threatening emails that will be willing to alert the organizers. Especially in the federal states of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, attacks by violent right-wing extremists were increasingly registered on queer events. In order to counteract this, various organizations such as Campact and the Amadeu Antonio Foundation have put on a rainbow protection fund to help CSD organizers to strengthen their security measures.

The quantity of queer-anti-punitive crimes is terrifying because estimates by the Lesbian and Gay Association of Germany (LSVD⁺) suggest that up to 90 percent of the deeds remain undetected. This is underlined by the lack of uniform recording and the need for a nationwide reporting office. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser calls for sustainable measures to consistently persecute these acts. The need to creation a report on the crime -related security of queer people was discussed as part of a working group to combat homophober and transitual violence, the final report of which was presented to the spring conference 2023.

At the moment, we have to face reality that queer -hostile crimes are considered politically motivated hate crime and urgently require more attention in political discourse and society. Findings such as those of the management report make it clear that not only the number of crimes increases, but also the associated risk for the persons concerned. Society and the authorities are required to create a safe environment for all people.

Tagesspiegel reports that the hostility against the CSD demonstrations increases. Further information on the right-wing extremist who mobilizes against the Queer scene can be found at Tagesschau . For deeper insights into the topic of queer-hostile crimes, the bpb