BVG sets a sign: U-Bahnhof Bundestag shines in the rainbow!
BVG sets a sign: U-Bahnhof Bundestag shines in the rainbow!
Platz der Republik, 10117 Berlin, Deutschland - The U-Bahnhof Bundestag in Berlin-Mitte shines in a festive rainbow design to embody the spirit of Christopher Street Day (CSD). The Berlin Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) supplemented the design at the train station entrance with a large Pride flag, which is visible directly from the Reichstag building. The main stairs of the train station also adorn the bright rainbow colors. With this campaign, which was announced on Instagram, the BVG shows its support for the CSD, which will be celebrated in Berlin on Saturday, July 26th. As RBB24 reports, this is part of a more comprehensive initiative that also includes other subway stations during the Pride Month.
In the middle of this ceremony, however, there were controversy about the visibility of the LGBTQIA+community in the Bundestag. Bundestag president Julia Klöckner (CDU) decided against the hoist of the rainbow flag on the Reichstag building, which caused violent criticism. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) expressed a negative manner on the flag during an ARD talk show and described the Bundestag as "no circus tent". These comments were sharply criticized by the queer representative of the Berlin Senate, Alfonso Partisano. Lisa Knack, the queer-political spokeswoman for the CDU parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives, also described Merz 'statements as "very unhappy".demonstrations for the rainbow flag
The debate about the hoist of the rainbow flag was fueled again by a protest demonstration before the Bundestag on July 20, 2025. Under the motto "The rainbow flag stands for the fundamental rights of all people! Like the Bundestag! Asked several hundred people, organized by the "Grandma's against Right" initiative, the political leadership to set an example for the LGBTQIA+community. Participants proudly wore pride flags. According to information from tagesschau.de, the demonstration was a clear sign against the reserved attitude of the Bundestag, which announced that the rainbow flag is only available on international day against homophobia (May 17).
The Bundestag administration had previously canceled their participation in the CSD with the reference to a neutrality obligation. This was perceived by the organizers of the demonstration as a false signal against queer visibility. In a reaction to Merz 'unfortunate statements, the demonstrators explained: "We are neither clowns nor circus animals!" This clear attitude reflects the determination of the LGBTQIA+community, visible and heard in politics.
The rainbow flag is still seen as a symbol of diversity and openness. The CSD is reminiscent of the uprisings of the queer community in the Christopher Street in New York in 1969 and represents an important holiday for the activists. In the coming weeks, attitudes and perceptions within the political spectrum will be shown in the coming weeks how strong support for human rights and diversity in Germany is actually.
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| Ort | Platz der Republik, 10117 Berlin, Deutschland |
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