In pictures: Berlin's CSD pride parade brings colour to a rainy day

Equipped with umbrellas and rain jackets, the participants set off at midday in the rain near Alexanderplatz. The march continued for more than seven kilometres in better weather to the Victory Column, where the rally ended.

This year's motto was “Only strong together - for democracy and diversity”.

According to the police, around 250,000 people took part in the demonstration. It also included 75 trucks and more than a hundred registered foot groups. 

One of the main demands this year was an amendment to Article 3 of the German Basic Law, which guarantees equality before the law. 

The Berlin CSD association demanded that queer people should also be included there.

The march was opened with speeches by activist Sophie Koch from the Queer Network Saxony and the CSD board, and a welcoming address was given by Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus (Greens).

“Across Europe, we are experiencing a socio-political backlash: more and more violence against LGBTIQ*, including here in Germany,” Paus explained in her speech, adding that every day there are six attacks on queer people reported across the country.

“The answer to this must be more solidarity with LGBTIQ*”, she emphasised.

Berlin mayor Kai Wegner of the CDU also said that Berlin stands “together with the queer community”. 

Around 1,200 police officers provided security for the event. 

According to a police spokesperson, they also prevented a 28-strong neo-nazi group from reaching the march. The underage members of the group were released, while the adults were taken into custody until around midnight. 

Apart from this incident, “everything was peaceful and harmonious”, the police spokesman told the AFP news agency.

However, police did clash with a group of pro-Palestine protestors at another pride event in Neukölln.

The CSD rally is named after the event on June 28th, 1969, when police stormed the Stonewall Inn gay bar on Christopher Street in New York, which was followed by days of clashes between activists and security forces. The riot is considered the birth of the modern gay and lesbian movement.

With reporting by AFP.