Security concerns: CSD closing party in Bautzen canceled

The organizers of Christopher Streets Day (CSD) Bautzen have cancelled a closing party planned for Saturday - for security reasons, according to their own statements. "We cannot take responsibility for this and currently do not have the necessary resources to secure and protect this event accordingly," CSD co-organizer Jonas Löschau told the "Freie Presse" newspaper with regard to planned demonstrations by right-wing groups.

The Görlitz police department confirmed that the organizers had cancelled a planned closing event after a cooperation meeting with the police. However, a spokeswoman for the Görlitz police department did not provide any information on the reasons for the cancellation.

According to her, a demonstration against the CSD was planned under the slogan "Against gender propaganda and identity confusion!!!", with 200 to 400 people registered. The small right-wing extremist party Freie Sachsen has also announced a protest with 30 to 50 participants. 500 people are registered for the CSD parade itself.

According to the police, unknown persons broke into the original venue of the final event, a children's and youth center, on Friday night. Lockers and offices were broken into and 1,500 euros were stolen, the police spokeswoman said. She was unable to say whether the break-in took place before or after the cancellation and whether there was a connection to it.

Organizer: Did not expect the scale of the protest

Löschau told the newspaper that the organizers had expected announcements of protests, but had not anticipated the scale. On MDR, Löschau recommended that CSD participants should only travel to and from the city in groups. He sits for the Greens on both the city council and the district council of Bautzen.

Green politician Katja Meier said she was stunned that an event had to be cancelled due to the tense security situation and strong right-wing extremist mobilization. "Hatred and agitation against queer people are an expression of misanthropic ideologies that have no place in our society," emphasized the Saxon Minister of Justice.

Christopher Street Day takes place every year in many cities around the world and commemorates events on June 28, 1969: police officers stormed the New York gay and lesbian bar "Stonewall Inn" on Christopher Street, triggering several days of protests by gays, lesbians and transsexuals. The CSD is intended to commemorate the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, intersex and queer people.