Berlin CSD parade attack: LGBTQ+ community shifts from grief to anger and resistance

After the attack on the CSD, the shock runs deep. But the queer community fights back: Three people talk about solidarity and the courage to carry on.

Published: 28 July 2026, 7:52 PM

Brandenburg Gate, a place of mourning in the heart of Berlin. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa

By Andreas Hergeth, Uta Schleiermacher, and Luzie Fuhrmann

Our First Question Is Always: Are You Okay?

It was a huge shock; it hit us all emotionally very hard. For many Ukrainians, it's something we know all too well. Since the Russian war of aggression, our first question when we hear bad news is always: Are you okay? We write that before we even ask: What happened? And we asked each other that same question on Saturday again.

Many Ukrainians fled the war to Germany and specifically to Berlin, seeking safety and protection here. Many from our community are now experiencing old fears again. It wasn't the only queerphobic attack at the CSD either; we also experienced one from right-wing extremists. At Nollendorfplatz, they threw bottles at our truck from the parade. I was on the truck myself when the bottle came. I didn't see the attackers, but they seemed organized. My colleague said they were all uniformly dressed in red and black. The police reacted very quickly, though. Also, on Courbièrestraße, someone shot at the CSD parade from a balcony with an airsoft pistol.

We already know this from Ukraine: I was very often at queer parades there, and people almost always threw tomatoes, eggs, or bottles at us. Apart from those terrible moments, the CSD parade was very cool — many people supported us, and I heard so many beautiful things. But the terrorist attack in the evening also put the earlier attacks in a different light. We see growing radicalization and hostility towards people who are simply exercising their basic rights.

We arrived at the Brandenburg Gate with our truck around 4 PM, and none of the people I know were directly affected by the attack. We texted each other a lot that evening, checking if everyone was safe. And I'm still constantly getting messages. The last few days have been very painful and stressful. I think we will meet and share our feelings.

Telephone Hotline for Affected Individuals

The Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs (Lageso) has set up a telephone counseling hotline for those affected by the attack on the CSD:

030-902296300

The support offer is aimed at people who were directly or indirectly affected by the terrorist attack. The counseling is free of charge and confidential.

According to Lageso, the hotline provides information on benefits provided by the Social Compensation Law for victims of violent crimes and terrorist offenses. The counseling particularly includes assistance from trauma outpatient clinics, enabling those affected to receive early psychotherapeutic support after a stressful event.

The counseling is aimed particularly at:

• Those directly injured
• People who witnessed the attack and are psychologically burdened by it
• Relatives and close friends of those affected

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Anyone who is in an acute psychological crisis due to what they experienced or needs medical help should contact emergency services immediately at 112 or the medical on-call service at 116 117.

If people from the Ukrainian LGBTQ+ community are affected by the events, need support, or want to talk to someone, they can contact the organization Kwitne Queer via:

• Social media channels: @kwitnequeer
• Email: info@kwitnequeer.de