LGBTI charity condemns Berlin pride attack but warns it must not ‘fuel hatred of Muslims’
People gather at the Brandenburg Gate in a memorial of the Berlin pride attack (Getty Images)
ILGA-Europe, Europe’s largest LGBTI rights organisation, has condemned the Berlin pride attack, but warned it “must not be used to fuel hatred against migrants, foreigners or Muslim communities”.
On Saturday (25 July), Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade, which is a pride event, was cancelled after a car drove into a crowd of people, leaving one dead and others with seriously injured. Police in Germany named Abdul Ballout as the suspect, and he was later shot dead after charging at officers with a bladed weapon. He was a German citizen with Lebanese background, who had reportedly tried to join the Islamic State group previously.
Police spokesperson Florian Nath said of Ballout: “The suspect is known to police. He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin, and our search for this person is proceeding at full speed.”
Now, ILGA-Europe has released a statement to condemn the violence, while warning the attack should not be used to further divide.
Executive director Chaber said: “We condemn the violence and stand with Berlin’s LGBTI community and everyone who came together to celebrate Pride and to exercise their right to be visible, to assemble and to stand up for equality.”
They continued: “This tragedy must not be used to fuel hatred against migrants, foreigners or Muslim communities. We reject any attempt by anti-democratic actors to exploit what happened to divide communities, scapegoat minorities or turn one group against another.
“LGBTI people must not be instrumentalised to spread hatred against others, nor should the existence of racism, Islamaphobia or anti-migrant hatred be used to minimise the threats faced by LGBTI people. The rights, safety and dignity of all people must be defended.”
‘We must refuse this politics of fear’
Chaber said that the normalisation of hatred of minorities “contributes to a wider climate of division and dehumanisation”. They added: “We must refuse this politics of fear.
“The answer to an attack on people exercising their freedom cannot be less freedom. The answer to hatred cannot be more hatred. And the answer to violence cannot be to turn minorities against one another.”
ILGA-Europe added in a statement: “Protecting Pride means protecting the freedom to come together, to be visible and to stand up for equality. Protecting democracy means defending those freedoms for everyone.
“We stand with the people of Berlin and with the LGBTI community. We will continue to defend a Europe where everyone can live, love and stand up for their rights without fear.”
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