Published: 10:35 BST, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 11:53 BST, 14 August 2026
A public swimming pool in Germany marketed as being inclusive planned an event that would 'be open exclusively to Black communities'.
The temporary open-air pool in front of Berlin's Volksbuhne theatre was officially opened just last week, and will remain open for eight weeks.
The €300,000 (£256,289) pop-up was promoted as a summer meeting spot for locals, however, has been heavily scrutinised over plans to shut the pool off to the majority of the public for one day.
Referring to Friday, August 14, the Volksbuhne (translated as the 'People's Theatre') website wrote: 'During this period, the public bath will be open exclusively to Black communities.'
The 25-metre pool would be shut off from the general public between 12pm and 6pm, with requests 'this collective self-designation and the spaces associated with it be respected'.
Volksbuhne has since cancelled the event, which was in partnership with the anti-discrimination community project Each One Teach One (EOTO).
The theatre cited 'security concerns' for its decision, which followed 'the fact that swimming for Black children and teenagers has become the target of right-wing and racist harassment'.
It comes after a German beach faced heavy criticism last week after bathers were told by a lifeguard that they must speak the language – or they would be banned from the lake.
The temporary open-air pool in front of Berlin's Volksbuhne theatre was officially opened just last week, and will remain open for eight weeks
The €300,000 (£256,289) pop-up was promoted as a summer meeting spot for locals
The swimming pool in Volksbuhne was originally announced as a symbol against exclusion and commercialisation, with it being marketed as a 'summer invitation'.
The event was held in collaboration with the public-funded EOTO, which offers social and cultural programmes for Black people.
The move sparked anger from excluded Berliners after the project's six-figure sum was funded by Volksbuhne, which receives more than €20million (£17million) annually from public funding.
The number of swimmers allowed to use the pool at one time is limited to 46, with the theatre estimating costs of around €300,000 for an expected 20,000 visitors.
