Berlin Pride threatens to disinvite mayor from parade

Organisers of Berlin’s official Christopher Street Day Pride parade have threatened to disinvite Mayor Kai Wegner from the event unless local government change certain policies.

Berlin CSD threatens Kai Wegner with disinvitation

Berlin’s mayor is traditionally invited to attend the city’s annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade, the biggest of its kind in Germany, and inaugurate the event with a speech.

But this year, organisers of the protest and parade have threatened to formally disinvite governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) unless he meets six, longstanding demands set by Berlin CSD.

“In 2024, the queer Berlin community will not be fobbed off with warm words from politicians, but will demand the implementation of its demands with vigour,” the organisation said in a press release. The six demands are as follows:

1. Federal Council and communication initiative of the governing mayor for the inclusion of queer people in the Grundgesetz [Basic Law].
2. Targeted measures and prevention against hate crime, as well as sufficient funding for this.
3. Mandatory training for teaching staff on gender and sexual diversity.
4. Non-discriminatory facilities, better [sports] hall times and safe access to sports facilities in Berlin.
5. Queer visibility in all its diversity in the media – the organisation demands 15 percent queer media funding.
6. Joint debate with the state government on multiple parenthoods.

Pantisano accuses Berlin CSD of “de facto blackmail”

In a response to the demands, Queer Representative for the State of Berlin, Alfonso Pantisano (SPD), said that Wegner “stands united and firmly on the side of the queer community” but accused organisers of “de facto blackmailing” the governing mayor.

“The Berlin CSD must not jeopardise this dialogue through ill-considered blackmail, as this will ultimately harm the entire community,” Pantisano wrote in a press release, pointing out that a two-thirds majority of all members of the Bundestag and the federal states in the Bundesrat is required to amend the Basic Law. “We can only achieve this through dialogue, persuasion and constructive cooperation between all democratic forces,” Pantisano said.

The SPD representative appealed to organisers in his closing statement, “Especially in these times, which are so dangerous for democracy and therefore also for queer people, I appeal for constructive dialogue and, above all, respectful cooperation. We are facing major challenges and we will only be able to overcome them together."

Kai Wegner has yet to personally comment on the demands and Berlin CSD has not revoked the threat to disinvite the mayor.

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