Hundreds of people, most of them men, joined a rally in Berlin on Thursday to protest against gender-based violence.
Germany traditionally marks Father’s Day on Ascension Day, which falls on the Thursday 40 days after Easter.
In many regions, men get together for a hiking tour or walk pulling a small waggon filled with alcohol and regional food, often using the day as an opportunity to get drunk.
“Men against Violence,” the group behind the Berlin rally, sought a different path to mark the day, hoping to highlight issues like sexual assault and violence against women and queer people, which “is almost always perpetrated by men.”
Some 3,500 people, including women and children, took part in the protest at the landmark Brandenburg Gate, organizers said, while police put the number of participants at some 800.
Demonstrators carried banners with slogans including “The country needs new men,” and “More feelings, less violence.”
A similar protest was held in Hamburg, organized by the Come on Boys initiative.
“Men against Violence” has called for men to take a more active role in efforts to combat sexual violence, and is demanding better funding for women’s shelters, prevention and victim support.
The group is also advocating for the “Only Yes means Yes” principle – which criminalizes any sexual act that takes place without freely given consent – to be implemented in German law.
People take part in the “Men against violence” demonstration against gender-based and sexualized violence on Pariser Platz. (zu dpa: «Hundreds of men protest in Berlin against gender-based violence») Fabian Sommer/dpa