City Councilor Otzelberger: Rathaus is not a place for colorful flags!

City Councilor Otzelberger: Rathaus is not a place for colorful flags!

St. Pölten, Österreich - On May 30, 2025, Klaus Otzelberger, FPÖ city council in St. Pölten, commented critically on the flag of the town hall with a rainbow flag on the occasion of the second Pride Parade in the city. He argued that the town hall was not a place for ideological signs and demanded that only the Austrian, Lower Austrian or St. Pöltner flag should belong on an official building. Otzelberger emphasized that citizens had other concerns, such as inflation and financial hardship, and criticized that such symbols would not contribute to the support of the needy. ots reports that he calls for politics instead of serving people.

The Pride Parade, which took place in St. Pölten on Saturday, was described as colorful, loud and diverse. The rainbow flag, symbol of the LGBTQIA+community, stands for diversity and equality worldwide. today reports that this expression of the solidarity of Oskar Beneder, a founding member of the St. Pride association, was highlighted. Beneder referred to the ongoing discrimination that queer people experience in everyday life, especially with regard to service refusal in local and in the housing market.

The rainbow flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in San Francisco in 1978 and has since established itself as a transnational symbol for the rights of the LGBTQIA+community. The flag has six strips that stand for different values: pink stands for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun, green for nature, blue for harmony and purple for spirituality. geo informed that the flag became internationally known during the Stonewall-Unrest in 1994 and has since been used at many CSD events to show visibility and support for queer people.

Otzelberger emphasized that sexuality was a private matter and that everyone should have the right to live them. Nevertheless, social reality for many queer people often remains shaped by pressure and violence. The debate about the flag at the town hall is part of the major discussion about acceptance and equality, which is closely connected to the history of the rainbow flag.