Swimming event for Black children and teenagers

The swimming event for Black children and teenagers was a planned six-hour session at the Volksbad, a temporary 25-meter outdoor swimming facility installed in front of Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre. The initiative was developed by Each One Teach One (EOTO), an organization focused on the empowerment of people of African descent, to offer a protected environment for youth to swim and socialize. The pool was set to be reserved exclusively for the group before reopening to the general public later in the day.

Prior to the event, the initiative became the target of significant online hostility and political opposition. Prominent critics, including leaders from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, publicly denounced the reservation. Organizers reported receiving threatening emails and discriminatory comments, leading to a heated social media debate. Similar reservations at the same venue for other social work organizations had previously occurred without such backlash.

Ultimately, EOTO and the Volksbühne made the decision to cancel the gathering, stating they could no longer guarantee the physical and psychological safety of the children. The organizers rejected claims that the event was discriminatory, asserting that their goal was to support structurally disadvantaged groups and provide a relaxed atmosphere free from agitation.