The organisers of the Zug der Liebe parade have cancelled this year’s event. Jens Schwan, press spokesman and one of the founders of Zug der Liebe, said the parade will be cancelled due to the attack on the Christopher Street Day parade. The event had been scheduled for August 29th.
“Now is not the right time to be celebrating in the streets,” said Schwan. In a statement regarding the cancellation, the organisers said that logistical challenges were also a factor.
“Holding the Zug der Liebe this year would entail massive restrictions, ranging from physical vehicle locks and comprehensive identity checks to a significantly increased police presence,” the statement reads.
The Zug der Liebe has always stood for a “carefree, fear-free space for protest,” and a demonstration in the current climate of fear and under “such restrictive conditions” contradicts its fundamental idea, the organisers argue.
Instead of the Zug der Liebe, the organisers will be collaborating with the RAW Gelände. “We’re pooling our resources to directly support Berlin’s threatened cultural landscape: Under the motto ‘Zug der Liebe goes RAW’, we’re joining the concurrent rally to preserve the RAW Gelände.”
