Public radio’s longest-running daily global news program.AboutContactDonateMeet the TeamPrivacyTerms of use©2026 The World from PRXPRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402.WorldPride revelers in Amsterdam say they won’t give in to fearFollowing a recent attack on a Pride parade in Berlin, attendees of the biennial WorldPride event, hosted this year by the Netherlands, are both celebrating and protesting the attempted silencing of the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQAugust 4, 2026Updated: August 4, 20266:38Revelers at the 2026 Amsterdam Canal Parade, the centerpiece of WorldPride Amsterdam.A large group of drag queens competed in the handbag throw on Saturday in central Amsterdam, on a stage next to a canal. Rather than sneakers and shorts, costume choices included fishnet tights, luminous green wigs and immense layers of lipstick. Other events at the open-air party included the stiletto sprint and bitch volleyball.It was the Drag Olympics: one of countless parties taking place in the Netherlands’ capital city for WorldPride. The event series was founded in 2000 and takes place every two years, in a different host city each time.Scenes from the 2026 Drag Olympics Amsterdam, one of the many WorldPride Amsterdam events.Jamie Fullerton/The WorldThe event has sometimes been criticized for becoming too corporate, with banks and drinks companies sponsoring events. But it’s still a place for partying, protest and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.Around one million people reportedly visited Amsterdam for WorldPride. “All the venues are packed,” said Richard Keldoulis, aka Jennifer Hopelezz, the Amsterdam Drag Olympics organizer. “There’s just people everywhere, and of course we had the horrible event that happened last week in Berlin. So, it’s made everyone a little bit wary.”Jennifer Hopelezz is the Drag Olympics Amsterdam organizer.Jamie Fullerton/The WorldThe weekend before the Amsterdam Drag Olympics, a person drove a vehicle into the crowd at Berlin’s Pride celebrations, killing one person and seriously injuring many. Soon after, police shot a 21-year-old male suspect to death.Following the attack, WorldPride Amsterdam quickly added memorial events to its schedule. People held minutes of silence. They laid flowers. One person giving a speech said: “Fear won’t stop us. Hate won’t stop us. We will celebrate Pride.”Amsterdam authorities say they amped up security for WorldPride. Many police boats were seen on the city’s famous canals. People in the city mentioned there being a defiant edge to the gatherings, coming closely on the heels of the Berlin killing.The parties, however, went ahead, including a music festival headlined by Madonna.“Partying is also a protest because it’s about visibility,” said Bamber Delver, an author launching a book about queer Amsterdam at WorldPride. “One of the biggest things about our communities is also dancing, partying, singing. So, we won’t stop this [partying], but at the same time we have much more of a mission.”Bamber Delver is an author and editor-in-chief of the Dutch magazine Gaykrant.Jamie Fullerton/The WorldDelver and others at WorldPride talked about homophobia being on the rise globally. Some linked it to the recent rise of right-wing politics in Europe, the US and beyond.Despite the shadow cast by the Berlin killing, the atmosphere at many WorldPride events was joyous. People waved rainbow flags. There seemed to be a fabulous DJ party in every open space. Huge boats full of dancers moved through the canals. On one boat, there were massive inflatable effigies of Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, depicting the two world leaders kissing.Effigies of Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on a canal boat at the Amsterdam Canal Parade.Jamie Fullerton/The WorldDutch senator Boris Dittrich was at the celebrations. In 1994, Dittrich proposed introducing same-sex marriage in the Netherlands. In 2001, it became the first country to legalize it.When asked whether WorldPride activism was still necessary in 2026, Dittrich said: “What you gain, you can lose again. And we see that, for instance, in the United States with politics, things that were accepted now all of a sudden are at risk again. There is a backlash going on.”“We all feel this rising intolerance,” Keldoulis said. “We all feel less safe on the streets. The right-wing extremists, the crazy religious fanatics. We’re living in dangerous times … the last thing we want to do is hide, take down our rainbow flags and be invisible again.“So, people are determined to go out and celebrate.”