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Krefeld celebrates CSD: Diversity despite security fears and protests!
The sixth CSD will take place in Krefeld on August 12, 2025 to celebrate diversity and tolerance despite security concerns.
Krefeld celebrates CSD: Diversity despite security fears and protests!
The Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Krefeld is approaching its sixth edition, and the anticipation is great. But behind the event's colorful façade lie serious safety concerns. For fear of attacks, organizers decided not to announce the parade route in advance. This measure underlines the current situation and is a response to the disturbing and frightening comments on social media about this event. Although some of these comments do not come from Krefeld, they contribute to the tense atmosphere by blaming queer people for the attacks.
The CSD in Krefeld is more than just a colorful celebration. “The participants demonstrate for the right to free development of personality,” explains a spokesman for the organizers, which makes the event an important political platform. Despite the tension, organizers emphasize that the event is a big party - not intended as a dogged demonstration, but as a celebration of diversity and tolerance.
The roots of the CSD in Krefeld
Levent Sirkal came up with the idea of organizing a CSD in Krefeld, inspired by similar parades in cities like Mönchengladbach and Essen. “In spring 2019 we finally agreed that the first CSD should take place in Krefeld in 2020,” Sirkal looks back. The founding meeting took place exactly one year before the first CSD, and active support came from René Sellmer, the former Krefeld carnival prince, and from the KG Rosa Jecken.
An important driving force behind the CSD is community engagement. Emma Sillekens and the team from “Together Krefeld”, a meeting place for queer young people, are also part of the planning team and bring a breath of fresh air to the organization. Their networking with already successful events such as Roza Jaar has helped raise awareness and visibility of LGBTQ+ people in the city.
A symbol of diversity and tolerance
Despite the challenges facing the CSD, there are also positive signals. The majority of the Krefeld council supports the rainbow flag, which is seen as an important symbol for the queer community. The attempt by a political party to suppress the flag at the town hall failed and shows that openness and diversity are deeply rooted in Krefeld.
The organizers of the CSD hope for a high number of visitors in order to send a strong signal for diversity and tolerance. Krefeld has a history that is characterized by openness and has contributed to the city's economic prosperity. It remains to be hoped that this tradition will continue at the upcoming CSD, and that visitors will find strength and solidarity in the diversity.