Rainbow parade in Vienna: silence for amoking victims in front of colorful festival!

Rainbow parade in Vienna: silence for amoking victims in front of colorful festival!

Rathausplatz, 1010 Wien, Österreich - On June 13, 2025, the 29th rainbow parade took place in Vienna, which began with a silence in honor of the victims of a tragic killing spree in Graz. During the parade, the victim was thought of in silent memory, the participants wore mourning flor on their signs. The organizers of the event were deeply shaken by the events in Graz and emphasized the political origin of the Pride event.

The silence coach marked the beginning of a colorful and loud festival, which started at 12:00 p.m. on Rathausplatz. Within the memorial event, which took place without music or cheers, the participants moved behind the parliament, where mourning banners were laid down. According to this part of the event, the parade continued through the Viennese streets and enabled the participants to speak loudly.

parade details and safety precautions

The route of the parade led from the town hall square via Parliament, Heldenplatz, the Vienna State Opera, Swedenplatz and the stock exchange before returning to the starting point. Up to 300,000 people were expected for the event, which led to hours of ring barriers and traffic disorders. The ÖAMTC advised road users to switch to the subway to avoid delays.

The security measures were reinforced due to an increased danger situation, even if there was no specific threat. Numerous police forces were on duty to ensure the safety of the participants. The importance of such events is particularly weighted in a special context in which the LGBTQ+rights and visibility is increasingly under pressure

pride celebration and appearances

The large Pride Celebration on Rathausplatz took place at the same place at 6:00 p.m. Speeches by prominent personalities, including the Vice Mayor Bettina Emmerling (Neos), were kept here. Musical appearances by Conchita Wurst, JJ and Melanie C from the Spice Girls provided additional festive atmosphere.

With the motto "Unite in Pride", the parade not only illustrated the party character, but also the demands of the community after protection against discrimination in the private sector and a ban on conversion therapies. Such parades are an essential element of the LGBTQ+movement and take place worldwide to demand visibility and legal protective measures, such as igla.

The parade was not only perceived locally, but also spread through digital channels. The streaming service Joyn and the television station Puls 24 transferred the event from 12:00 p.m., while the ORF also provided the event as a stream on ORF ON. Hey, also Germany and Switzerland were able to take part in the action up close.