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Suspended sentences after attack: Gifhorn's shadow over CSD celebrations!
In the Gifhorn district court, three men were sentenced to suspended sentences in 2024 after an attack on a woman.
Suspended sentences after attack: Gifhorn's shadow over CSD celebrations!
On a Wednesday in August 2025, three men aged 22, 24 and 25 were sentenced to suspended sentences in the Gifhorn district court. These sentences followed a brutal attack that occurred in September 2024. The men pushed a 39-year-old woman off a bus and then kicked her, causing the woman minor injuries. The sentence is one year and nine months, with the court suspending it for three years. In addition, two of the men have to pay fines, while the third has to do community service. These extenuating circumstances partly result from the fact that the aggressors confessed to the crime and explicitly emphasized their distance from the right-wing scene. [NDR] reports on the incident and the legal consequences for the perpetrators.
There is a disturbing trend behind this incident: the perpetrators came from a counter-demonstration to the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Wolfsburg, which was organized by right-wing groups. This shows that right-wing extremist attitudes are increasingly penetrating the middle of society, which is particularly threatening for queer people in Germany. [Tagesschau] highlights that queer life in East Germany is often accompanied by right-wing threatening gestures. Events like the CSD in Schönebeck had to be ended early because security precautions were inadequate - an alarm signal not only for the region, but for the whole of Germany.
The dangers for the queer community
Current developments cannot be viewed in isolation. According to reports from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there is a growing number of anti-queer attacks and activities on the Internet. During Pride Month and the CSD events, there are increasing protests by right-wing extremists who use the LGBTIQ* movement as an enemy to spread their nationalist ideologies. [The Office for the Protection of the Constitution] documents that disruptive actions against CSDs took place nationwide last year, some of which were coordinated by classic right-wing extremist organizations.
In Saxony-Anhalt, right-wing attacks on CSDs are not an isolated case. Ocean Hale Meißner, organizer of the CSD in Döbeln, spoke of a hostile climate that requires increased police protection. Last year there was a butyric acid attack in Döbeln, and similar disturbances by extremist groups have also been reported in other places. All of this shows that anti-queer agitation not only exists, but is specifically exploited.
A look into the future
Despite the impending dangers, there remains a spark of hope among those involved. José Förster from the CSD Burgenlandkreis expressed optimism and emphasized the importance of defending oneself against hostility. However, Sven Lehmann, the Federal Government's Queer Commissioner, warns of the growing influence of authoritarian and right-wing extremist forces that are aggressively targeting LGBTIQ* people. It is clear: Society must remain vigilant and significantly increase visibility, education and support for queer issues, especially in rural areas.
In this complex web of violence, prejudice and the pursuit of visibility, we must all work together to not only ensure the safety of queer people, but also to show solidarity. The road is rocky, but together we can overcome barriers.