Berlin Pride – CSD Berlin 2026: “Love will win. Empathy will win”

Our Executive Director, Julia Ehrt, was at Berlin Pride on Saturday 25 July, marching with thousands of others before news of the attack against CSD Berlin 2026 broke. A man had driven his van into the crowd nearby Tiergarten, killing one person and injuring at least 29 more.

In this video, Julia shares a message of solidarity with all the people affected, and a reminder of why we keep showing up at Pride: “We want a happier, safer, and freer world for everyone. Because a world fueled by love, choice, and self-determination is so much stronger and more desirable than one forged over hate and fear.”

Watch the video and read the transcription below

ACCESSIBILITY: captions available in English and Spanish.
THUMBNAIL PHOTO: Photo by Raphael Renter | @raphi_rawr on Unsplash

Dear friends, Berlin is the place I call home. Hier bin ich zu Hause.

On Saturday afternoon, I was marching just like thousands of others at CSD Berlin, the Berlin Pride. And I was on my way home when the news of the attack broke.

First and foremost, I want to send my solidarity to all our LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. More communities in the city and in Germany.

These have been very difficult days for all of us, and I especially want to send my solidarity to the families and loved ones of the victims of the attack.

I also keep all queerpreviously used as a derogatory term to refer to LGBT individuals in the English language – and still perceived as offensive by some - queer has been reclaimed by people who identify beyond traditional gender categories and heteronormative social norms. Although not universally accepted, it is often used as a catch-all to include many people within the larger community of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics. More people of Muslim faith and racialised queers in my thoughts for the pain that they may carry within their communities. We know that some people will use this incident to fuel further division in our societies and among our communities. But together we must reject this hate.

Pride has a very special meaning for our movements, for our friends, allies, chosen and natal families. It is a moment in which we find our people. We celebrate one another, and we have a space to shine as our true selves.

Queer Pride is a moment of empowerment, of movement empowerment. And I can still remember marching the first time here in Berlin, many, many years ago.

And this is as well why the attack hurts so much.

We are hurting as individuals and as a movement. We are enraged, but we as well know that we are together. An attack on Pride is an attack on all people who live their lives free and openly.

Diversity is human. Visibility is beautiful. And when we are together, we give each other courage. We become stronger. And we refuse to go back into hiding.

The strong reaction of solidarity from all pockets of society to this attack has in fact been quite heartwarming.

We keep showing up at Pride precisely because we want a happier, safer, and freer world for everyone. This attack is a reminder that there is still a long way to go in a place like Berlin and probably even more so globally.

And if there’s one conviction that has carried me over all those years, then it is that love will win, empathy will win, and that it is our task to build bridges even with those who oppose us. To build a society in which we can all live freely.

Because a world fueled by love, by choice, and by self-determination is so much stronger and more desirable than one forged over hate and fear.