A Shadow Over Berlin, after CSD tragedy

Words fail to fully convey the heartbreak and shock following the tragic events in Berlin. The devastating attack on participants at this year’s Christopher Street Day (CSD)—where a driver rammed a vehicle into the crowd celebrating after the march, taking the life of a young woman and injuring dozens of others—is a profound blow to our entire community. We join in deep sorrow with the family and loved ones of the young woman who was killed, wish a full and speedy recovery to all those injured, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the Berlin House of Sisters and the local community in this time of grief.

Christopher Street Day is not only an annual celebration of freedom and diversity, but above all, a living tribute to the historic fight for human dignity. The name CSD directly honors the events of June 1969 on Christopher Street in New York, where the queer community at the Stonewall Inn stood up together against violence, police raids, and discrimination for the first time. Since then, CSD marches around the world have become symbols of courage, hard-won rights, and spaces where everyone has the fundamental right to feel safe, loved, and accepted. For decades, Berlin has served as a special beacon of safety and refuge for people from all over the globe.

That an act of cruel violence and hate struck at the heart of a place meant to be a safe haven leaves a permanent scar. Yet the history of CSD reminds us that the very foundation of our community has always been resilience. In the face of tragedy, we will not be intimidated or divided—our response to hate will always be greater solidarity, mutual care, and unwavering remembrance of those we have lost.