Statement on this weekend’s attack at Berlin Pride

After a fantastic Belfast Pride event we received the news of the devastating attack on attendees of the Berlin Pride event which left one woman dead and many injured.

Our thoughts, love and solidarity are with the families and friends of the victims, the LGBTQIA+ community in Berlin and across Germany. We abhor your loss and the violence perpetrated against you.

Around the world, we have seen rising intolerance and hatred directed towards LGBTQIA+ people. This hostility has seeped into our politics, our media, and across public life. It seeks to ‘other’ us and to portray our community as a threat. This narrative has consequences for the safety of every LGBTQIA+ person.

Our Pride came from defiance in the face of adversity; it is needed now more than ever. Our movement is one of the most successful in history, moving billions from criminalisation to rights. Our successes come from standing together, we will not allow our pride to become a reason to divide or turn against other marginalised people.

In the face of those who seek to harm us, and those who seek to divide us, we renew our commitment to building a better world for all.

If you have been impacted by the news of this attack, The Rainbow Project is here for you. You can contact us on:

028 9031 9030 (Belfast)

028 7128 3030 (Foyle)

info@rainbow-project.org