German leaders have condemned the attack on Berlin Pride as an assault on 'all of us,' but columnist Fatma Aydemir argues their solidarity rings hollow. The incident, in which a van was rammed into a crowd at the Brandenburg Gate on 26 July 2026, killed one person and injured 29, some critically. Aydemir, a Guardian Europe columnist, accuses mainstream politicians of hypocrisy, noting that the queer community has lost resources and protection under the same leaders now offering condolences.
Politicians' Statements Under Scrutiny
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who remarked that Pride-goers should not be intimidated and that the attack aimed to divide society, previously rejected flying a rainbow flag from the Bundestag during Pride, calling it 'not a circus tent.' Education and Family Affairs Minister Karin Prien, who described the attack as an assault on diversity and 'the heart of our democracy,' banned gender-inclusive language from her ministry and removed 'diversity' as a funding criterion for democracy projects months earlier. Aydemir highlights these contradictions, stating that the Christian Democratic Union's opportunism is glaring.
What the Queer Community Needs
Aydemir questions whether more policing is the answer, citing journalist Mohamed Amjahid's research on police violence. Instead, she advocates for restoring funding to queer organizations like Lambda, a youth group that lost government support after 36 years due to austerity. She also criticizes calls for stricter immigration laws, pointing out that countless asylum seekers flee persecution for their queerness. The attacker, a 21-year-old German citizen radicalized in Germany, had participated in a deradicalization program, raising concerns about cuts to extremism prevention funding.
Similarities Between Christian Conservatives and Islamists
Aydemir notes that Christian conservatives and Islamists share rigid views on gender, sexuality, and family, despite differing methods. She warns against reducing the attack to a migration issue, as the far-right AfD exploits it for electoral gain. The attacker was a German citizen, underscoring the need to address radicalization domestically. Aydemir also challenges the government's foreign policy, citing its courtship of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, an authoritarian and Islamist, as inconsistent with claimed democratic values.
The column concludes by urging a focus on the victims and the community's needs, rather than political narratives. Aydemir calls for consistent policy support for queer people, both domestically and internationally.
