Response to Recent Tragic Event in Berlin

As the CSD organizers in Berlin, we are distraught about what happened

yesterday. Our thoughts are with the victims,

their loved ones, and everybody who has been affected by this terrible event.

We would like to offer our thanks to all

volunteers and guests who wanted to demonstrate peacefully with us.

Many of these people suffered much emotional stress

yesterday. What they experienced will have long-lasting effects.

We are trying to offer emotional support,

psychological support.

This is needed for our team as well.

I am grateful to my team.

Thank you. We are grateful to all people who assisted,

all first responders.

Our mayor has rightly praised the collaboration with the police.

Their quick professional response was decisive in this context.

We are also grateful to the fire brigade,

Berlin Senate, all authorities who have been involved in this collaboration.

The CSD organization in Berlin stands for solidarity, respect, coexistence.

A city open to the world was on the street yesterday.

What we need now, we believe, is to take a measured approach

to support everyone affected.

We will not get involved with any speculation.

We will wait for the result of the police investigation.

Our basic approach has not changed.

We reject all forms of violence.

Ideologies, be they religious or other extremists, are trying to suppress people.

We do not want this deed to be instrumentalized for political ends.

We do not want any groups to be placed under suspicion for this.

People are trying to divide our society and set some people against others.

As the CSD in Berlin, we will not allow this.