Hamburg, February 22 – For the past two weeks, Café Uhrlaub in Hamburg-St. Georg has proudly displayed a new rainbow-colored awning. What was intended as a symbol of tolerance has, for some, become a reason for hostility, leading to dozens of hateful comments online.
Rainbow Awning: A Symbol of Openness and Respect
Jens Weber, the owner of Café Uhrlaub, extends the brightly colored awning above his café’s entrance on Lange Reihe every morning. He expressed his shock and fear regarding the online backlash. “If it were just ‘faggot’ written there, that would be bad enough. But when truly malicious hate comments come in, you are really speechless and shocked. It is very, very frightening,” Weber stated.
Café Uhrlaub has been a fixture on Lange Reihe for over 60 years, serving as a meeting point for both queer guests and local residents. The rainbow flag is not a new symbol in this area, which is known for its vibrant queer community. However, the online reactions highlight how even visible signs of diversity can become targets of animosity.
Residents and business owners in the Lange Reihe area have noted the debate. Many emphasize that rainbow colors have long been a natural part of the street’s identity. “Anyone from Hamburg knows what it’s like on Lange Reihe. A rainbow flag shouldn’t really be surprising, right?” one resident commented. Another added, “Lange Reihe is known as a queer place. That has always been the case and it should please always remain so.”
Digital Hate: Not an Isolated Incident
Café Uhrlaub is not alone in facing such hostility. Organizations and institutions frequently experience waves of digital hate when they publicly advocate for diversity and equality. FC St. Pauli, a local football club, has also embraced rainbow colors for years, displaying them on stadium flags, social media, captain’s armbands, and even a rainbow-colored solar panel on the roof of the Millerntor Stadium.
Patrick Gensing, Head of Media and Communication at FC St. Pauli, shared their experience: “When we presented the rainbow-colored solar panel, we received a huge wave of hate comments. In any case, four digits, more than a thousand.” He emphasized their policy of deleting hateful content and blocking users to prevent such toxic messages from gaining traction on their platforms.
Legal Action Against Hate Crimes
For many affected individuals, deleting and blocking are initial steps. However, not every insulting or inflammatory statement automatically constitutes a criminal offense. Potential charges include insult (§185 of the German Criminal Code) or incitement to hatred (§130). Not all criminal offenses are reported.
Upon inquiry by NDR, the Hamburg Public Prosecutor’s Office reported that in 2025, the responsible state security departments handled nearly 400 cases of hate crime on the internet. These cases are processed by Department 71 of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Office for State Security at the Public Prosecutor General’s Office. This includes crimes against individuals targeted due to their sexual orientation or identity. These figures are subject to statistical recording, and cases and convictions cannot be directly compared as resolutions often span several years.
It is not possible to infer the actual number of affected individuals from this data. Experts assume that many people do not report incidents, suggesting a higher number of unreported cases. “In recent years, an increase in offenses in the digital space has been observed – this includes hate crime committed via the internet,” explained ichbinhier e.V., an initiative against online hate. The association organizes counter-speech and supports individuals targeted by digital attacks.
Support and Resilience in the Face of Adversity
In addition to filing a criminal complaint, affected individuals can also contact the Hamburg Anti-Discrimination Office. This is currently the only official contact point of its kind in Hamburg, offering advice, support, and guidance on further steps for those experiencing discrimination, including in the digital realm.
For Jens Weber and the team at Café Uhrlaub, the hostilities are not a reason to retreat. On the contrary, they strengthen their resolve. The rainbow awning, they assert, is not a political statement in the strict sense, but rather an expression of what the café has stood for decades: openness and respect.
Alongside the hateful comments, the team has also received numerous messages of solidarity. Many guests approach them directly at the café, expressing gratitude for the visible symbol and offering support. Between digital hate and public solidarity, the team’s decision remains clear: “The rainbow awning stays extended!”
In December 2024, Hamburg launched a campaign against queer-hostile hate crimes, aiming to encourage members of the LSBTI+ community to report assaults to the authorities.
