Berlin mosque becomes ‘first in Germany’ to fly LGBTQ+ Pride flag
The Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque is said to be the first in Germany to fly the rainbow flag in support of the LGBTQ+ community. It was unfurled at an intimate ceremony ahead of Pride weekend on 1 July, with attendees wearing badges saying: “Love is halal.” Seyran Ateş, the founder of the mosque, said flying the flag shows LGBTQ+ Muslims “that they do not have to choose between their faith and their sexual identity, but are accepted as such, as they are,” Queer.de reported.
Pride celebrations in Berlin are typically known as Berlin Christopher Street Day (CSD) and will be held on 23 July. Speaking to Deutsche Welle, Mo el-Ketab, one of the mosque’s imams, said that Ibn Rushd-Goethe is a “safe place for people who are different, so they too can experience the spiritual side of their lives”.
He continued: “I hope that many other mosques will also show the flag in this way or set other positive signs for the LGBT+ community.” London was home to the largest Pride in British history over the weekend, with more than 1.5 million people reported to have been in attendance.
The events held on 2 July marked Pride in London’s first showing in the capital since 2019 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021.
