Thuringia's Christopher Street Days face rising right‑wing threats

Thuringia is preparing 13 Christopher Street Day (CSD) events this year, including a Dyke March in Weimar, with parades scheduled in Jena (June 20), Weimar (June 27), Erfurt (Sept 5) and several smaller towns. Organisers say the growing presence of right‑wing intimidation has made security a priority; last year 10 of 11 queer‑visibility demos recorded verbal abuse or physical attacks.

Financial pressures add to the strain: the federal "Democracy Living" programme no longer funds the CSD in Gera, and some cities report insufficient municipal support. Despite these challenges, participants and local groups continue to receive solidarity donations and are adopting safety concepts such as traveling in groups or incognito to protect attendees.