Police protect first Christopher Street Day rally in Königs Wusterhausen after far-right threats

Inaugural rally in Königs Wusterhausen

The town of Königs Wusterhausen in the Dahme-Spreewald district southeast of Berlin hosted its first Christopher Street Day gathering on Saturday, 29 August. Demonstrators assembled at 15:00 on the railway station forecourt under the official motto "Liebe statt Hass", which translates to "Love instead of hate". Organizers designed the event to demonstrate for the rights and visibility of queer people while taking a public stance against discrimination, hostility, and exclusion. Turnout matched initial projections, with organizers anticipating at least 500 people and local police recording approximately 500 attendees at the site. The route took the procession from the station forecourt through the town centre to a concluding "Fest der Vielfalt" scheduled on the festival grounds along the Nottekanal. Concurrently, the town of Ludwigsfelde in the neighbouring Teltow-Fläming district held its second Christopher Street Day march under the slogan "Gemeinsam bunt, gemeinsam laut, gemeinsam in Lu".

Far-right counter-protests and police security

State police coordinated an expanded security detail to monitor the demonstration in Königs Wusterhausen after a far-right youth group registered a counter-protest. The group, known as Jägertruppe Berlin-Brandenburg, was formally classified in the 2025 Brandenburg constitutional protection report as a newly emerging right-wing extremist youth phenomenon. Security alerts intensified following an incident in the town during the night leading into Friday, 28 August. Shortly after midnight, a witness alerted police after observing four individuals attaching placards along Cottbuser Strasse. Responding officers discovered approximately 80 DIN-A4 posters featuring xenophobic and hate-speech messaging linked to a right-wing extremist micro-party. The state security division initiated a criminal investigation into the display, though authorities did not confirm whether the poster campaign directly targeted the planned march.

Address from the interior minister

Brandenburg Interior Minister Jan Redmann visited Königs Wusterhausen to inspect security operations, speak directly with organizers, and address the rally. Redmann, a Christian Democratic Union politician who is openly gay, commended the fortitude of attendees participating in the demonstration despite intimidation attempts from radical groups.

That all of you do not let yourselves be intimidated, that you come anyway, that you make use of your right of assembly, show your face and say: Yes, we are here, we stand up for our rights, that is a truly great sign.

Redmann noted that right-wing extremist factions across Brandenburg have increasingly targeted Christopher Street Day events with counter-protests, often involving elements prepared to use violence. He gave personal assurances that regional law enforcement would guarantee the protection of participants.

The police in Brandenburg stand up for your safety.

Repercussions of the Tiergarten attack

The regional security mobilization took place roughly one month after an attack targeted the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin. On 25 July, a 21-year-old Islamist attacker drove a vehicle into pedestrians near the Tiergarten and attacked bystanders with a machete, killing one woman and injuring at least 31 other people. Redmann directly referenced the Berlin tragedy when speaking to the crowd in Königs Wusterhausen, emphasizing the determination required to assemble publicly in the weeks following the assault.

I believe that this year in particular, perhaps a little more courage is needed because there was this terrible attack, an Islamist attack in Berlin.

Following the investigation by state security, municipal authorities in Königs Wusterhausen removed the illegal posters from Cottbuser Strasse, enabling the parade and festival to proceed under police supervision.