Berlin swimming pool cancels ‘Black communities only’ event over security concerns after backlash

Berlin swimming pool cancels ‘Black communities only’ event over security concerns after backlash (Photo: AFP) 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).The Volksbuhne website had described the session as being “open exclusively to Black communities”, with visitors asked to respect the collective self-designation and the space associated with it. The theatre has since cancelled the event, citing security concerns and saying that swimming activities involving Black children and teenagers had become targets of right-wing and racist harassment.The decision has triggered a wider debate in Germany over inclusion, public funding and access to public spaces. The temporary pool was originally presented ...