The smaller successor to the Berlin Love Parade, “Zug der Liebe” (Train of Love), has been canceled in its original planned form due to the recent attack during the Christopher Street Day (CSD). Organizers stated that the recent events surrounding CSD have drastically altered the situation.
They explained that holding the Train of Love this year would necessitate massive restrictions, including physical roadblocks, continuous personal checks, and a heavily augmented police presence. However, the Train of Love has always aimed to provide a carefree and fear-free space for protest. The organizers emphasized that a demonstration held under the current climate of general anxiety and such restrictive conditions fundamentally contradicts the event’s core philosophy. Instead, they plan to join a concurrent rally advocating for the preservation of the Berlin RAW grounds.
It is worth noting that the Train of Love had already seen a decline in attendance in recent years and cannot be compared to the scale of the former Love Parade. Significantly larger is the “Rave The Planet Parade,” which is currently planned to take place in Berlin on August 15th. While the Love Parade once attracted up to 1.5 million people in the 1990s, Rave The Planet has drawn around 300,000 people to the streets, though attendance was already notably lower last year. The Train of Love recently recorded only about 10,000 participants.
