Cologne's Pride Parade starts with 1 million spectators

Cologne's Pride Parade got under way at midday on Sunday, with organizers expecting 60,000 participants in 250 groups and attendance by up to 1 million spectators at one of the largest such events in Europe.

Ahead of the parade, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day (CSD), concerns had been expressed at growing anti-gay sentiment.

Herbert Reul, interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Cologne is located, attended for the first time. "I'm here because I'm increasingly concerned," he told dpa.

"We increasingly have people demanding to decide how we should live. And that's wrong," Reul said, adding that the police - which he represented - protected everyone, irrespective of lifestyle.

He described the creativity and cheerful atmosphere of the parade as impressive and noted that 1 million people along the route represented a clear statement.

Former Green party culture minister Claudia Roth said: "We are here today in Cologne as the largest demonstration for democracy in our country."

And former Social Democrat health minister Karl Lauterbach said the parade was more important than ever, as there was increasing pressure from the political right. "Where rights are abolished and the people affected can no longer be seen, then we will go under," he said.

CSD recalls events at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969 when police stormed a gay bar on Christopher Street.