Organisers say celebration will continue despite security concerns following deadly Pride attack in Germany.
AMSTERDAM,(Reuters): Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in Amsterdam on Saturday for the flagship event of WorldPride 2026, with organisers pledging to continue the celebration despite heightened security concerns following a deadly attack during Berlin’s Pride events.
The annual canal parade, the highlight of Amsterdam Pride, will feature dozens of boats decorated with rainbow flags and balloons as crowds gather along the city’s waterways.
Amsterdam was selected to host WorldPride 2026 by international Pride organisers, with this year’s two-week programme across the Netherlands being held under the theme “UNITY.”
What security measures are being taken after the Berlin attack?
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said authorities would introduce additional security measures following last week’s attack in Berlin, where one person was killed and more than 30 others were injured after a vehicle was driven into a crowd. The suspect was later killed by German police.
Dutch police said both visible and covert security measures would be deployed during the Amsterdam event.
Organisers said preparations for the parade were continuing as planned and that additional security measures would not change the event’s focus on inclusion and community participation.
“The aim of terrorism is to spread fear, and we must not give in to that,” Amsterdam Pride spokesperson Martijn Albers said.
Why are organisers continuing the event?
Participants and organisers said the Berlin attack reinforced the importance of holding Pride events.
Julianne van der Heide, a participant in Saturday’s parade, said the attack demonstrated why Pride celebrations remain necessary.
Thousands of people attended a memorial ceremony in Amsterdam earlier in the week for victims of the Berlin attack, placing flowers at the city’s Homomonument, a memorial dedicated to victims of anti-gay persecution.
Caspar Pisters of the Dutch HIV Association said violence would not prevent the LGBTQ+ community from gathering publicly.
Mick Groeneveld of the Queer Museum group said the attack highlighted ongoing security concerns but argued that withdrawing from public life was not the solution.
“Making ourselves invisible is not the answer,” he said.