Three swastikas placed diagonally on top of each other result in one of the most popular alternatives to the swastika, which is banned in Germany: the so-called black sun. Since the 1990s, the symbol has been used as a substitute and identifier in the right-wing scene and is extremely popular among neo-Nazis. T-shirts and tattoos with black suns regularly appear on the part of participants in relevant neo-Nazi events such as demonstrations or concerts.
Rather surprising is the presence of the right-wing extremist symbol in the largest queer demonstration in the capital, Christopher Street Day (CSD), which marched through the streets of Berlin with hundreds of thousands of people on Saturday.
During the parade, a Twitter user drew attention to the security of one of the 96 registered trucks via the short message service. A security guard can be seen in a photo attached to the post, who is on duty for the car of the Berlin gay counseling service. A tattooed black sun is emblazoned on his arm.
The photo of a second tattoo with the same right symbol on another security force appeared shortly afterwards in the context of the joint car of the “Revolver Party” and the “Bunte Variety” association.
When asked by the Tagesspiegel on Monday afternoon, both those responsible for the individual cars and the organizer of the CSD clearly distanced themselves from the security deployed.
“The Berlin CSD e.V. is appalled by the use of security staff/folders with right-wing tattoos by two car operators at this year’s demonstration,” it said in a statement. “Right-wing extremist and anti-queer opinions, statements and symbols are in complete contrast to the values, demands and messages of CSD e.V. and the demonstration. We oppose any form of group-related enmity.”
The gay counseling center in Berlin and the association “Bunte Variety e.V.”, the operators of the two trucks affected, were shocked by the incident and demanded clarification from the dedicated security companies.
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While those on the “Bunten Variety e.V.” The Berlin security company “Silas Protect” used in a press release writes that they distance themselves from any “National Socialist ideas” and that the employee in question with the tattoo of the black sun assured in a personal conversation that he valued the “importance of a diverse society”. share, the extent of the right-wing security scandal at the gay advice center seems to be even greater.
On video recordings, several security employees can be seen at the edge of the truck, wearing right-wing symbols or relevant clothing brands of the scene. These are said to be employees of the security company “Walther” from Zossen, as several sources reported to the Tagesspiegel.
