- 'Horrible': Interior Minister on right-wing protests at CSD
Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster has sharply condemned the protests by far-right groups during the Christopher Street Day (CSD) event in the eastern Saxon city of Bautzen. "It's appalling," the CDU politician said in the podcast "Young Politics in Saxony" on Saxony Television. He emphasized that protecting the event was of utmost priority.
Over 1000 people participated in the CSD demonstration on Saturday, while around 680 joined the counter-protest under the banner "Against Gender Propaganda and Identity Confusion!!!" The tiny far-right party Freie Sachsen also called for a protest. "The fact is that there was a registered, non-banned, far-right gathering. We have to ensure that. It's appalling. But even for these appalling displays of bad taste, freedom of assembly applies," Schuster emphasized.
The CSD event concluded without any major incidents, according to police. Participants were able to complete their march and rally peacefully and without disruption, a final report stated. After the demonstration, they were escorted to the train station by officers. In connection with the demonstrations, 14 criminal proceedings and 7 administrative offense proceedings were initiated. These included one case of bodily harm, two cases of incitement of the people, and one case of using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.
In contrast to the tensions in Saxony, the Netherlands also celebrated their annual Pride event recently, with thousands of people participating in Amsterdam's Christopher Street Day festivities, proudly upholding the country's reputation as a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
Despite the successful CSD events in both Saxony and The Netherlands, it's crucial for authorities in all nations to uphold the principles of freedom of assembly and ensure that such events can take place peacefully and without disruption.
