LGBTQ: Federal Government Commissioner complains about many attacks on queer people

The Federal Government 's Commissioner for Queer Affairs, Sophie Koch (SPD), has expressed concern about the rising number of attacks on queer people in Germany. "Hate and incitement are increasing, attacks on queer people are becoming more frequent," she told the Rheinische Post newspaper . This is "the reality in Germany in 2025."

In the run-up to Cologne's Christopher Street Day, Koch said the mood had changed, and "not for the better." Pride parades were increasingly under police protection, especially in rural areas. "Heated debates" about rainbow flags, circus tents, or bans on participation were "not helpful."

Koch was referring to a controversial statement by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). On Tuesday, on the ARD program " Maischberger ," Merz backed the decision of his party colleague and Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) not to raise the rainbow flag in the Bundestag this year. The Bundestag, he said, is "not a circus tent" where flags can be raised at will.

Merz was sharply criticized for her statement across party lines , including by Koch. "If the rainbow flag is the flag on a circus tent, what are queer people?" she told the ZDF news portal heute.de. There was also creative protest in response to Merz: In Bielefeld , a circus hoisted the rainbow flag .