A temporary public swimming pool outside Berlin’s historic Volksbuhne theatre has cancelled a planned event that was due to be open exclusively to Black communities after the programme attracted controversy and scrutiny over its restricted access. The €300,000 pop-up pool, which opened last week as an eight-week summer facility, had planned to close its 25-metre pool to the general public from 12pm to 6pm on Friday, August 14, for an event organised in partnership with anti-discrimination community project Each One Teach One (EOTO).

Ein Tag im Volksbad nur für schwarze Menschen: Die Ankündigung sorgte für Empörung. Doch statt sich zu erklären, duckt sich das Theater vor der Debatte weg.

Die Berliner Volksbühne bietet in der Theaterpause kostenloses Schwimmen in einem eigens eingerichteten Becken an. Der Plan, einen Tag für schwarze Gäste zu reservieren, führt zum…