Berlin memorial bench for CSD victims destroyed

A rainbow-colored memorial bench in Berlin's Tiergarten, established to honor victims of the July 25 Christopher Street Day (CSD) terror attack, has been severely destroyed by vandalism.

The bench, which was part of a memorial site including a newly planted maple tree, was targeted with “massive force,” according to police reports. The damage was so extensive that the colorful slats were torn out, necessitating the complete removal of the bench. The site was intended to serve as a place of remembrance and solidarity for the queer community following the attack in which a perpetrator used a vehicle and a machete to kill one person and injure 31 others.

Berlin police are currently investigating the incident as property damage and are working with state security services to determine if there is a queer-phobic motive behind the destruction. Local officials, including Berlin Queer Commissioner Alfonso Pantisano, expressed shock at the act, while the Mitte district office stated that efforts will be made to rebuild the memorial.