Thousands gather at the Homomonument for Pride Berlin

Several thousand people stood in near silence at the Homomonument on Tuesday evening, and the message was clear: the queer community will not be pushed back indoors. The gathering commemorated the victims of the attack on Pride Berlin on Saturday, when a man crashed his car into participants. A woman was killed and dozens were injured. The event began at 8:00 p.m. with a minute of silence, and attendees were asked to bring flowers. Many also lit candles. Speakers included Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema and COC chair Myrtille Danse. State Secretary Judit Tielen attended, as did several Amsterdam aldermen and representatives of the German embassy. The influencer couple Karl and Daan, who were at Pride in Berlin on Saturday, described being deeply shaken. "Fear and hatred will not stop us. We will celebrate Pride," they said, to loud applause. Halsema called Berlin a "city of freedom" and said the attack targeted everything it stands for. She said Amsterdam stands in solidarity with the city and with queer people everywhere. After the speeches, the speakers laid flowers at the Water Triangle, and the crowd followed. The mood was not untroubled. Some attendees said it was frightening to come, and a small group stood at the edge of the crowd "just in case something happens". Even so, they said staying home was not an option. Police were visibly present, and Halsema had already announced extra security measures for WorldPride, which was taking place in the Dutch capital. In Arnhem, several hundred people held their own commemoration, and the city hall was lit in rainbow colours. Moments like this are why nightlife matters to the community. Venues, parties and Pride weekends are where people show up for one another, in good times and hard ones. That is the idea behind Vibra: a place to find LGBTQ+ nights in Amsterdam, buy tickets, and build a habit of going out together, with Pulse points rewarding the regulars who keep these spaces alive. Source: NL Times — Thousands gather in Amsterdam in solidarity with Pride Berlin after attack (2026-07-29)