Tens of thousands join Prague Pride; minute of silence for Berlin victims
Marchers in Prague combined celebration with a minute of silence for the victims of the Berlin attack; security was stepped up and organisers said the festival aims to raise awareness of LGBT+ rights.
Tens of thousands of people marched through Prague on August 8 as part of this year’s Prague Pride festival, combining celebration with a solemn tribute to victims of a recent attack in Berlin.
At the start of the march participants observed a minute of silence for those affected by the Berlin Pride attack two weeks earlier, before moving from Wenceslas Square toward Štvanice island.
Security tightened after Berlin attack
“The aim of the festival is to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues, to show how this community lives in the Czech Republic and that it is still waiting for equal rights,” said Kamila Frolichova, director of Prague Pride. She added that the Berlin attack underscored the importance of Pride, warning that hatred does not begin with physical violence but with words and hate speech.
On July 25 in Berlin, an Islamist attacker drove a van into a crowd, killing one woman and injuring about 30 people. Organisers in Prague responded to the attack by increasing security: hundreds of police officers guarded the parade and a specially trained de‑escalation team was on duty, while participants were asked not to use wooden poles for banners.
Festival organisers said the theme this year was “Times are changing.” Marchers wore colourful clothing, glitter makeup and carried balloons and rainbow flags. According to police there were no major incidents, although a small group of counter-protesters gathered along the route.
Photo: EPA
