The Lesbian and Gay Association is calling for protests against the anti-immigrant and anti-gay organisation "Pro Deutschland" on Saturday.
"Pro Deutschland" is holding a national party conference in Berlin's Schöneberg town hall on Saturday. The right-wing populist organisation repeatedly makes aggressive statements against migrants and also incites hatred against gays and lesbians.
This is why the Lesbian and Gay Association Berlin-Brandenburg (LSVD) is calling for protests together with other organisations, including the SPD and the Left Party. Several thousand demonstrators are expected to gather in front of Schöneberg town hall at 12 noon on Saturday.
There really is every reason for this: on the homepage of "Pro Berlin", which is part of "Pro Deutschland", one of the association's leading figures argues that Berlin should be "cleansed" of gay parades. Mayor Klaus Wowereit (SPD) should be "banned" from the Red City Hall because of his homosexuality. Conclusion of the text: "Berlin must not become Sodom and Gomorrah. Because ultimately we all suffer from that."
Jörg Steinert, Managing Director of LSVD Berlin-Brandenburg, explains: "Pro Deutschland's social ideas are outside the spectrum of opinion that is desirable in a democracy. Hatred of foreigners, hidden under the guise of criticism of Islam, is also a red card in our city!"
"Pro Deutschland" emerged in 2005 from the right-wing populist Cologne citizens' initiative "Bürgerbewegung pro Köln", which received 5.4 per cent of all votes in the last city council elections. "Pro Deutschland" also wants to run in the 2011 elections for the Berlin House of Representatives.
(Paul Schulz)
Saturday, 17 July, 12 noon, Schöneberg Town Hall, John-F.-Kennedy-Platz (underground station Rathaus Schöneberg)
More information and directions can be found on the LSVD website
