CSD in Döbeln: Colorful flags against brown politics

Hundreds of people celebrated Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Döbeln, accompanied by right-wing counter-protest. Under the motto "Colorful flags against brown politics", they marched through the town in central Saxony, "at a clear distance" from a gathering of right-wing extremist groups. The police separated the camps and prevented direct confrontation, there was visual contact and chanting, according to a spokeswoman for the Leipzig police headquarters. There were several reports of criminal offenses and administrative offenses. Around 180 officers were involved in the operation, including from the riot police and federal police.

Before the start of the parade with rainbow flags, officers found a foul-smelling liquid, presumably butyric acid, as the police reported in the evening report. A report was issued for damage to property in connection with attempted grievous bodily harm. A connection with a vehicle check the night before was investigated. Officers noticed a foul-smelling odor in the van of the originally planned rally leader of the right-wing counter-demonstration, but found no substances.

Multiple criminal offenses and administrative offenses

According to the police, around 650 people took part in the CSD rally and parade. A 35-year-old and a 36-year-old attracted attention for allegedly placing stickers with political content on bus stops and lampposts several times - and were charged with illegal billposting.

The counter-protest, with around 200 people at its peak, followed "at a clear distance of around 200 meters" from the CSD procession. A 14-year-old and a 15-year-old are said to have shown the Hitler salute and are being investigated on suspicion of using symbols of unconstitutional organizations. The young people were sent off.

A 24-year-old was charged with insulting a CSD participant and a 22-year-old with public incitement to commit a crime. He reportedly acknowledged the police action with a hand signal, which violated the conditions of the gathering, and was also charged - as were a 19-year-old, another 22-year-old and two unidentified persons.

The CSD takes place every year in many cities around the world, in memory of the events of 28 June 1969 in New York. June 28, 1969 in New York: police officers stormed a bar on Christopher Street, triggering several days of protests by gays, lesbians and trans people, among others.