Stonewall and Pride in London announce Soho Square vigil after Berlin Pride attack
The event will feature short speeches from community leaders and representatives, with further details to be shared by Stonewall and Pride in London on their social media channels
By Callum Wells
Stonewall and Pride in London will hold a vigil in Soho Square this evening (28 July) in memory of those killed and injured in Saturday’s attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations.
The vigil, taking place from 7pm to 8pm, will bring together members of London’s LGBTQ+ community to honour the victims and show solidarity with Berlin and LGBTQ+ people around the world.
It comes after a vehicle was driven into crowds attending Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) on Saturday evening (25 July), killing one woman and injuring dozens of others. Authorities are continuing to investigate the attack.
“An attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us” – Simon Blake OBE, chief executive of Stonewall
Christopher Street Day is one of Europe’s largest Pride celebrations, attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees each year. The event takes its name from New York City’s Christopher Street, home to the Stonewall Inn, where the 1969 uprising helped spark the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Simon Blake OBE, chief executive of Stonewall, said: “Berlin’s Christopher Street Day should have been a celebration of who we are. Instead, it became an attack on our community and on the values of freedom and equality that Pride represents.
“An attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us. Today we come together in Soho Square to stand together, to grieve and to say clearly that we are not afraid and will not be frightened out of public life. Our solidarity with lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer+ people in Berlin, and around the globe, is unshakeable.”
“We stand united in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ siblings in Berlin and around the world” – Rebecca Paisis, interim CEO of Pride in London
Rebecca Paisis, interim CEO of Pride in London, said the LGBTQ+ community had rallied behind those affected in the aftermath of the attack.
“Over the past two days, many of us have been trying to come to terms with the devastating attack at Christopher Street Day,” she said.
“I have spoken to many people across our community and one message has come through clearly: we stand united in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ siblings in Berlin and around the world.
“Pride in London champions visibility, unity and equality for all. The vigil is an opportunity to honour those affected and send a clear message to Berlin and the LGBTQ+ community in Germany – you are not alone, our community stands with you.”
What to expect from Stonewall and Pride in London’s vigil for the Berlin Pride attack
The event will feature short speeches from community leaders and representatives, with further details to be shared by Stonewall and Pride in London on their social media channels.
The vigil follows an outpouring of support from LGBTQ+ organisations across Europe in response to the attack, as communities continue to mourn those affected while reaffirming their commitment to visibility, equality and the right to celebrate Pride safely.
For more information visit www.prideinlondon.org.
READ: Berlin Pride attack: What happened and what we know so far