BERLIN, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY – With an agenda that included equal measures of partying and political activism, approximately 750,000 people attended Berlin’s annual Christopher Street Day festival, the city’s famous gay pride event.
The event included 50 floats and a recreated Berlin Wall (completely with faux-Checkpoint Charlie), as well as protests designed to draw attention to the homophobic laws of Russia. Brandishing signs that depicted Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, activists marched to the Russian embassy, where they heard speeches from Russian LGBT rights activists.
“[The Russian authorities] think the rainbow flag can make someone gay. We laugh at them,” said one. “We laugh at Putin. That’s why we are here. We are together with all of you from different countries. I hope one day we will have the same pride in Russia, and thousands of gays and lesbians will celebrate together.”
At the manufactured Checkpoint Charlie, signs warned attendees that they were “entering the Russian sector” where “homo propaganda” and “free speech” are banned.