Swim event for Black youth in Berlin cancelled due to racist threats
A six-hour swimming event for Black children and teenagers at Berlin’s Volksbad was called-off amidst a wave of threats and online abuse triggered by German right-wing leaders.
A planned six-hour swimming event for Black children and teenagers at Berlin’s Volksbad was cancelled due to threats and online abuse, following the backlash from German right-wing leaders. The event, organized by the anti-racism association Each One Teach One (EOTO) in partnership with the Volksbühne theatre, was set to take place on Friday afternoon.
EOTO's youth program was intended to have exclusive access to the pool, which would later reopen to the general public. The Volksbad, a free outdoor 25-meter pool near the Volksbühne until early October, had been used for various organizations, including Gangway and Flussbad Berlin. However, the EOTO event attracted significant opposition.
Volksbühne announced the cancellation, stating that they could no longer ensure the safety of participants and expressed concern over the event becoming a target for right-wing and racist agitation. Right-wing politician Alice Weidel of Alternative for Germany (AfD) referred to the event as "apartheid." EOTO and Volksbühne rejected accusations of discrimination and emphasized that the aim was to provide a safe space for Black children and youth to enjoy time at the Volksbad.
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