Following the deadly attack at Berlin Pride on 25 July 2026 and the suspected foiled attack targeting Leuven Pride, Flemish LGBTQIA+ umbrella organisation çavaria has called on governments to make the fight against hate, extremism and violence a political priority.
The organisation warned that attacks on Pride events are attacks on the fundamental right of LGBTQIA+ people to live openly and safely. According to Çavaria spokesperson Thomas Jans, Pride is both a celebration and a protest, but for many people it is also one of the few places where they can fully be themselves. When such spaces become targets of hatred or violence, he said, the right to be visible and safe is placed under attack.
Extremism from multiple directions
Çavaria said hatred towards LGBTQIA+ people is currently being fuelled by several forms of extremism, including religious extremism, far-right movements and online radicalisation networks such as the so-called “manosphere“. Although these groups differ ideologically, the organisation said they often share the same target: LGBTQIA+ people and other minority communities.
According to Çavaria, these movements promote rigid gender roles and reject people who do not conform to them. Rather than allowing extremist groups to divide communities, the organisation said solidarity between everyone targeted by hate and extremism is the only effective response.
The organisation also warned against attempts to exploit the Berlin attack to pit different communities against one another, arguing that such divisions only create more hatred and make nobody safer.
Political action needed
Çavaria welcomed the work of the security services after authorities reportedly prevented a possible attack on Leuven Pride, saying the incident demonstrated the importance of vigilant police and intelligence services. However, it stressed that stronger preventive measures are also required.
The organisation pointed to figures showing that almost eight in ten LGBTQIA+ people in Flanders experience verbal, sexual or physical violence at some point in their lives. It also highlighted survey findings indicating that one in five young people in Flanders consider violence against someone because of their sexual orientation to be acceptable.
To address the problem, Çavaria called for a stronger response from police and the justice system, including the proper registration of hate crimes, improved support for victims and more effective prosecution of offenders.
It also urged Belgium to amend Article 150 of the Constitution so that online incitement to hatred and violence can be prosecuted more effectively. In addition, the organisation wants European rules governing social media platforms to be enforced more robustly in order to remove illegal hate speech, incitement and extremist content.
The organisation further called for greater investment in education, including compulsory lessons on gender and sexual diversity in all schools to provide young people with accurate information and strengthen their resilience against online hatred, polarisation and extremism.
Security ahead of Antwerp Pride
With Antwerp Pride approaching, Çavaria urged the authorities to ensure comprehensive security measures are in place for all Pride events. The organisation also called for any counter-demonstrations to be kept away from Pride activities so that participants can take part in the parade safely, openly and without intimidation.
“We must not become invisible”
While acknowledging that violence can never be completely eradicated, Çavaria argued that governments can still take meaningful action by tackling online hate, preventing young people from being drawn into extremist ideologies and ensuring that public events celebrating freedom, equality and inclusion remain safe.
The organisation concluded that hatred and extremism must never force LGBTQIA+ people back into invisibility. Instead, it said everyone should be free to express who they are and feel safe in public spaces, describing this as a fundamental right. Rather than allowing fear to prevail after the recent attacks and threats, Çavaria called on the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies to remain visible, united and determined.
Queer Belgium
- BELGIUM | Federal Government unveils action plan to tackle discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people.
- FLANDERS | Record number of calls to LGBTQIA+ helpline Lumi.
- GHENT | LGBTQIA+ umbrella adopts Magenta – Regenbooghuis Gent as name and receives municipal subsidy.
- From the Stonewall Inn Riots to Brussels and Antwerp Pride: how much did the New York riots really influence queer activism in Belgium and the Netherlands?.
- BELGIUM 2026 | Homophobic violence persists as conservative ideas gain ground in Belgium.
- Belgium slips to fourth in European LGBTQIA+ rights ranking: stagnation and unaddressed gaps.
- NMBS / SNCB presents new rainbow-clad Siemens Desiro for Pride and IDAHOT.
- MISTER GAY BELGIUM 2026 | Laurens Bervoets, Alaettin Kadioglu, Joël Peeters, Dylan Ramos Guerreiro, Ben Scheelen, Brandon Sittler, Stijn t’Syen, Ziön Vanleene, Robbe Vernaillen, Bjorn Verolleman, Jens Verschoore, Lorenzo Warie.
- ‘Flood the feed’ with love and queer joy: campaign calls for social media support for LGBTQI+ community.
- BELGIUM | Çavaria criticises lack of investigation into homophobic motive in David Polfliet case.
- BELGIUM | Safer in theory, harsher in reality: violence and polarisation mark 2025 for LGBTQIA+ people.
- Çavaria: Federal Government Agreement takes steps for LGBTI+ rights but not for everyone.
- BRUSSELS | International collective launches Pride Museum, seeks location.
- ANTWERP 2025-2030 | City government agreement supports bid for EuroGames in Antwerp in 2028.
- Spartacus Travel Awards pinpoint Brussels and Taiwan as top LGBTQIA+ destinations.
- Belgium to host Eurovision Song Contest 2026? But in which city?.
- Queerkaart.be offers map of queer safe(r) spaces in Flanders.
- FLANDERS | LGBTQIA+ people more often unhappy, bullied and misjudged.
- Queer Arts Festival Leuven with pride parade from 3 to 25 November 2023.
- 1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ people in Flanders and Brussels experienced physical aggression in the past two years.
- ‘LGBTQIA+ BXL, Collecting Memories’ Exhibition in Brussels City Museum.
- MSK Gent – Museum of Fine Arts Ghent introduces LGBTQ+ tour.
- ANTWERP | LGBTQIA+ bookshop Kartonnen Dozen stops.
- City chronicle ‘De kleur van de stad maakt mijn ziel amoureus’ recounts Queer Antwerp history.
- Will Belgium win the Eurovision Song Contest ever again?.
