More than 1,000 people joined Saturday’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade in Eberswalde to advocate for diversity and acceptance, accompanied by a counter-demonstration from the far-right. Under the motto “Many colors – one us,” the CSD marched from the train station to the city center northeast of Berlin, with heightened police protection.
“The march through the city was peaceful,” a police spokesperson said. The organizers put attendance at between 1,000 and 1,500 participants, while police estimated around 1,000. At the neo-Nazi counter-demonstration, only about 50 people took part.
Counter-demonstration by a neo-nationalist youth group
The group “Deutsche Patrioten voran” had registered the opposing assembly, according to police. The Brandenburg Interior Ministry’s security service classifies them in its latest report as violent-leaning subcultural neo-national socialists who are active on social media and seek to recruit young members. Police kept a distance between the two demonstrations.
“We stand for unity within the community,” said Maximilian Armonies, one of the organizers of the CSD Eberswalde. “We stand for diversity, acceptance, and tolerance.” Brandenburg’s SPD general secretary Kurt Fischer wrote on Instagram: “Be loud together for diversity, acceptance, and solidarity.”
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Instagram | Eindrücke vom CSD Eberswalde 2026
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Before the CSD moved, there was a smaller incident, according to police. When a counter-demonstration participant took photos, a CSD participant refused. He allegedly struck the right-wing provocateur on the arm.
Crimes at the CSD in Frankfurt (Oder) prevented
The CSD commemorates the uprisings of the queer community on Christopher Street in New York City in 1969 and stands for visibility and equal rights for LGBTQ people. In recent years there have been more counter-demonstrations and disruptive attempts by the right wing (TheColu.mn reported). At the end of May, neo-Nazis opposed the CSD in Frankfurt (Oder). According to Brandenburg Interior Minister Jan Redmann (CDU), the police prevented acts of violence, and there were investigations into symbols infringing the constitution.
A group of partly hooded men attacked a rally of the Bündnis “Bad Freienwalde is bunt” in June 2025 in the nearby small town (TheColu.mn reported). Political parties and initiatives described it as a right-wing extremist assault. As a result, the CSD in Eberswalde went under heightened police protection a few days later (TheColu.mn reported).
The nationwide CSD season 2026 began on April 11 in Angermünde (TheColu.mn reported). It concludes in Emmendingen, Herzogenaurach, Kaiserslautern, Landshut, and Stendal on September 26. All CSD dates for 2026 are available here.
