"Colorful carrot country" Over 1000 people at the first Pride rally in Aargau

Several hundred people took part in the first Aargau Pride rally for the recognition and visibility of queer people in Aarau on Saturday afternoon. The demonstration led through Bahnhofstrasse and the old town.

According to estimates by a reporter from the Keystone-SDA news agency, between 1000 and 1500 people took part in the rally. There were young and older people on the streets. The colorful parade was organized by the Pride Aargau association, a collective of young queers from Aargau.

According to their own statements, they set themselves the goal of organizing the first Pride in "Rüebliland". "In Rüebliland, it's not just the carrots that are colourful", the organizers stated. The rally was "historic", said Zurich SP National Councillor Anna Rosenwasser in her opening speech on Bahnhofplatz.

"We didn't choose it", said the politician and LGBT expert: "It's good fortune to be surrounded by queer people." With regard to the social recognition and acceptance of queer people, she said that progress had been "hard work".

Rainbow flag at the reformed city church

"We stand on the shoulders of our queer ancestors," the SP National Councillor noted. Aargau is one of the conservative cantons. That's why we want to celebrate and demonstrate together. "Celebrating queer life is an act of resistance."

The rally, accompanied by members of the cantonal police, led to the Maienzugplatz outside the old town. There were further speeches, music and festivities. A rainbow flag was hung on both the reformed town church and the town hall of the cantonal capital Aarau.

Pride rallies are usually held in cities such as Basel, Bern and Zurich. In Lucerne, around 2000 people took part in a rally on Saturday last week.