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At the CSD rally in Berlin, people are taking to the streets to advocate for the rights of the queer community.
About one million people usually take part in the Christopher Street Day parade. The CSD commemorates the first known uprising by gay people and other sexual minorities against police brutality on Christopher Street in New York City’s Greenwich Village on June 27, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn. This led to days of street battles between gay people and the police.
In 2026, the CSD will take place over two days for the first time. On Friday evening, a rally featuring artistic performances and political speeches will be held at the Brandenburg Gate from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday, the main parade will wind its way through the capital.
A special highlight on Friday evening is rapper Ikkimel’s performance on the stage at the Brandenburg Gate. On Saturday, performers such as Sarah Connor, Zsa Zsa, Selene, Carli, and wavvyboi will take the stage.
In 2026, the parade route will once again run from Mitte through Schöneberg to the Brandenburg Gate. The starting point of the CSD is at the corner of Leipziger Straße and Spittelmarkt. From there, the route proceeds along Leipziger Straße to Potsdamer Platz, then via Bülowstraße and Nollendorfplatz to the Urania. From there, it continues to the Victory Column. The finale takes place every year on Straße des 17. Juni in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
The motto of CSD 2026 is "Haltung ist hot" (English: "Taking a Stand Is Hot"). Against the backdrop of this year’s House of Representatives election, the organizers are calling on people to take a stand for an open society, for democratic values and for the equal rights of queer people.
The first "Christopher Street Day" in Berlin took place on June 30, 1979 - "Gay Pride" was the motto under which 450 demonstrators took to the streets in West Berlin. The atmosphere on the streets was exuberant and cheerful. There was no hostility or even violence against participants - a decisive difference to earlier events.
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Under the slogan “Taking a stand is Hot”, various groups march through the city during Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Berlin to demonstrate in support of diversity, human rights, and the protection of minorities. more
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© Naima Maleika
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