Rainbow flags in many places in Berlin

A man holds a rainbow flag in his hand.

The rainbow flag has been hoisted in many places in Berlin on the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, Bi-, Inter- and Transphobia.

The rainbow flag was raised at the Red Town Hall on Wednesday morning by the Governing Mayor Kai Wegner. He emphasised the relevance of diversity in the capital: "With the rainbow flag in front of our city hall, Berlin is declaring its commitment to coexistence in diversity on the International Day against Homophobia, Bi-, Inter- and Transphobia. Berlin declares war on all discrimination, exclusion and hate crime."

The colourful flags could be seen on Wednesday among others at the Senate Department for Finance, for Justice and Consumer Protection as well as at the office of the Berlin SPD in the Kurt-Schumacher-Haus, the Senate departments and the SPD Berlin announced. Every year on 17 May, the decision of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 17 May 1990 to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses is commemorated worldwide.