Schwerin CSD calls for vigil after Berlin attack

In response to a suspected Islamist terror attack at the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Berlin, the Schwerin CSD association has called for a vigil to be held in Schwerin. The association expressed deep shock over the incident, stating, "Our thoughts are with the victims, their relatives, and all people who had to witness this act of violence."

All citizens are invited to the vigil, scheduled for 6:00 PM in front of Schwerin's town hall. The association emphasized a message of unity and resilience: "Our answer to hate is solidarity. Our answer to violence is cohesion." They affirmed their support for CSD Berlin and all queer people asserting their right to visibility and a life in safety.

This call for solidarity follows a violent incident on Saturday evening when a car plowed into a crowd at the Berlin CSD. Authorities had been searching for the 21-year-old perpetrator, who allegedly injured more than a dozen people. A woman died from her injuries. The suspect, who was known to police and associated with the Islamist scene in Berlin, was killed during a police operation on Sunday.

Meanwhile, statistics from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern show a significant increase in registered hate crimes targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2025, 56 such offenses were recorded, a rise from 41 in 2024 and 14 in 2023. These incidents include online offenses like insults, as well as threats, incitement to hatred, property damage, and assault.