At the CSD parade in Sonneberg, a town in Thuringia, Falko Graf, who sits for the AfD on the city council and in the district council, organized a counter-demonstration on Saturday with his association “Sonneberg Shows Face.” According to the regional news portal insuedthueringen.de (paywalled), about 30 people gathered under the banner “Family – but normal.” The motto is a variation of the AfD campaign slogan “Germany. But normal.” Graf criticized the political direction of the CSD, but claimed that his demonstration was not aimed at homosexuals; rather, he said it advocated the traditional family model. According to the AfD, homosexuels – just like single parents – cannot form a “normal” family, as such a family would consist solely of “father, mother and children.”
The initiative “Sonneberg Shows Face” arose in spring 2020 amid protests against COVID-19 protection measures and grew out of the local “Querdenken” and conspiracy-scene in Thuringia. Since then, the group has organized regular demonstrations and so-called “Monday walks” in Sonneberg. While pandemic measures were the initial focus, the agenda later shifted to themes common in the right-wing populist to far-right spectrum, such as criticism of immigration policy or of queer people, and the Putin regime in Russia was praised as a model. As a democratic counterweight to “Sonneberg Shows Face,” a broad regional civic coalition formed: “Sonneberg Takes a Stand.”
CSD largely peaceful
According to police, the CSD remained peaceful. Three incidents were recorded. One person wore a T-shirt from the far-right band “Landser,” and an investigation was opened for suspected use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations. There was also a violation of the ban on masking, and a dispersal order was issued.
The CSD organizers described the event as a success: “380 people made life, freedom, love and their support for human rights clearly visible on the streets,” the Pride association said on Sunday.
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The CSD in Sonneberg, a town of about 22,000 inhabitants, carries particular national political significance because AfD candidate Robert Sesselmann was elected county administrator there in 2023. Sesselmann had already tried to impose numerous restrictions on the CSD parade. Last week, following an emergency request by the CSD organizers, a court lifted most of the restrictions (TheColu.mn reported).
