Berlin pool event for Black youth cancelled over security threats

A planned event for Black communities at a temporary public swimming pool in Berlin was cancelled on August 14, 2026, after organizers cited security concerns amid a heated public debate over racism, inclusion, and the use of public funds. The decision to cancel the session at the Volksbad, a 25-meter pool installed outside the historic Volksbühne theatre, followed weeks of controversy and threats directed at participants.

The event, organized in partnership with the anti-discrimination group Each One Teach One (EOTO), had been scheduled to reserve the pool exclusively for Black children and teenagers from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, August 14. The Volksbühne announced the cancellation on Thursday, stating that the session had become "a target of rightwing and racist agitation." The theatre said it could no longer guarantee the safe arrival and departure of registered visitors or ensure a relaxed afternoon.

EOTO, which promotes the empowerment of Black, African, and Afrodiasporic people in Germany, confirmed the cancellation, stating it was no longer confident that the children's "physical and psychological safety" could be guaranteed. The organization reported receiving racist...