Counter -protests this time smaller: Queere Community celebrates CSD in Bautzen – counter -protests

Several thousand people have gathered for the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Bautzen in Eastern Saxony. The police spoke of around 3,000 CSD participants and around 400 people at a supporter demo. On the other hand, according to the police, around 450 people took part in a counter event “against Genderwahn”. The counter -protest was smaller than in the previous year, when around 680 people had gathered from the right -wing extremist spectrum.

Police secured a meeting with a large contingent

After aggression against the CSD last year, the police accompanied the meetings with a large contingent and separated the camps. The supporter demo ran between the CSD and the following counter-protest.

“We have been talking about a peaceful course so far,” said a police spokesman in the afternoon. However, there were verbal clashes and crimes were also occasionally registered. The information on this would still be collected.

The third CSD in the small town east of Dresden was under the motto “The dignity of humans is inviolable. Also in Bautzen!”. According to their own information, the participants demonstrated for human dignity, queer visibility and solidarity. The band Kraftklub also played in Bautzen.

Intimidating clothing prohibited

As the responsible meeting authority, the district of Bautzen had limited the right of assembly in advance. Among other things, uniform black clothes that could give the impression of violence or have a intimidating effect were prohibited. Marching in the step and the beating of drums in marching were also prohibited.

In 2024 there were right-wing extremists in Bautzen on the occasion of Christopher Street Day, which were shaped by aggressions against the CSD participants. The organizers had canceled a final event in the evening for security concerns.

This year, too, the police and assembly authorities had prepared for a confrontational situation.