Oktoberfest service staff launch anti-right-wing initiative

A new initiative called ‘Bedienungen gegen Rechts’ (Waitresses against the Right) has launched at the Munich Oktoberfest. Founded by service staff following recent political shifts in Germany, the group aims to take a stand against racism, sexism, and queerphobia within the festival tents.

Participants report that discriminatory language is increasingly being treated as acceptable or dismissed as tradition. The group uses social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to promote values of diversity and respect. While the initiative has gained over 150 participants, this represents approximately 3.7 percent of the roughly 4,500 service staff working at the event.

The group also highlights the historical context of the Oktoberfest, specifically referencing the September 26, 1980, bombing. That attack, carried out by right-wing extremist Gundolf Köhler, killed 12 people and injured over 200. The activists emphasize that a peaceful festival requires active opposition to exclusion and hate speech.