Cologne CSD 2025: With 60,000 participants for rights and against hate!

Cologne CSD 2025: With 60,000 participants for rights and against hate!

Cologne's Christopher Street Day (CSD) is in full swing and is moving through the streets of the cathedral city today, July 6, 2025, with around 60,000 participants. Around 250 groups and 90 colorful floats have come together to demonstrate for the rights of the LGBTQ community. More and more people in Cologne are celebrating diversity and tolerance, and organizers and authorities estimate that the city will receive over a million visitors. Deutschlandfunk reports that the organizing association “Cologne Pride” emphasizes the importance of this event this year, as queer people have to suffer from hostility more than ever.

Unfortunately, this celebration is overshadowed by a dark background. Attacks on queer events are increasing, according to the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which recorded a total of 55 incidents in 2024. Right-wing extremist crimes have increased sharply in recent years. For example, the CSD in Gelsenkirchen 2025 has already been canceled due to an “abstract threat situation”. In Brandenburg, people were also attacked at the festival for diversity, which illustrates the dangers of public appearances for the LGBTQ community. It is therefore not surprising that the security costs for the Cologne CSD 2025 are twenty times higher than in 2017. daily news states that the Cologne police are on site with a large contingent to ensure security, while the security forces have been doubled compared to the previous year.

Safety comes first

The police currently see no specific threat to the Cologne CSD, but are keeping a critical eye on the situation. A sophisticated security concept ensures that every participant is well protected. This includes, among other things, an awareness tent and trained staff who offer support. The Cologne organization “Woman Life Freedom Unity” has also drawn up its own security concept to protect its participants. These measures are urgently needed as 2024 saw numerous incidents, including xenophobic statements and tearing down of rainbow flags, resulting in 13 arrests.

In this context, it is important to mention that the political debate about the protection of queer rights in Germany is currently heated. On June 26, 2025, the Bundestag discussed a proposal from the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group to combat anti-queer hate crime. The application was referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection for further consideration. Group members condemned the violent attacks, particularly by right-wing extremists, at CSD events. Bundestag shows that there has been a tenfold increase in crimes against queer people since 2010, which underlines the urgency of political action. The application calls, among other things, for the protection of CSD demonstrations from violence and a nationwide reporting center for anti-queer crimes.

Strong and proud together

Amid these challenges, the Cologne CSD is a celebration of life and a demonstration of pride. The participants show solidarity and resistance against all forms of intimidation. Yvonne Fahrenholz, a prominent activist, reports on the everyday harassment and a deep-rooted sense of threat that many queer people are currently feeling. But despite everything, the fight for acceptance and rights remains a matter of the heart for many. The message remains clear: cohesion and visibility are the key to changing society and sending a sign of hope.