One recent day in Berlin, a few hundred Pride demonstrators with rainbow flags rallied in eastern Marzahn district, a sweep of communist-era residential blocs that is a hotspot of far-right AfD support.Far from the city's bohemian neighborhoods with their hip clubs and trendy cafes -- areas which reliably vote for leftist and green parties -- this working-class district is Berlin's ground zero for a shift to the hard right.
In last year's national election, the anti-immigration, anti-Islam and Moscow-friendly Alternative for Germany (AfD) topped the polls with 31 percent in Marzahn, which is home to many Russian speakers.
Ahead of September polls in the city-state of Berlin, many progressive-leaning voters fear the AfD may again win big -- perhaps boosted by public anger over a deadly jihadist attack that targeted the city's main annual LGBTQ Pride event last weekend.
"If we demonstrate in an area where the AfD polls very strongly, we're sending a powerful signal," said one of the recent demonstrators at the smaller march in Marzahn, Andreas, who was joined by his husband Sumudu.
Sumudu, from Sri Lanka, said he came to Berlin to live in a place that celebrates "democracy, human rights and openness".
