In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the number of reported politically right-wing motivated offenses and crimes targeting queer people rose again markedly in 2025. This comes from figures published by the state interior ministry that the Green Party faction in the state parliament had requested. In total, 6,268 right-wing motivated offenses were registered in 2025, an 11 percent increase compared with the previous year. Additionally, 257 offenses were recorded in the subcategory “Sexual orientation,” which is 27 percent higher than in 2024 and a staggering 210 percent higher than in 2022. In the subcategory “Gender diversity,” there were 162 offenses — 54 percent more than in the previous year and a striking 800 percent more than in 2022. Ilayda Bostancieri, spokesperson for women, equality and queer policy for the Green Party caucus in NRW’s state parliament, described the rise as “alarming.” “The figures we queried from the NRW Interior Ministry reflect only the crimes that have been reported and thus registered. It is reasonable to assume that the dark figure is large,” Bostancieri said. “What’s clear: we stand against any attacks on people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It is encouraging that during Pride events and beyond we are making queer life visible and showing solidarity. Queerphobia, hate, incitement, and violence have no place in our society.”
