Violence marred Serbia’s Pride parade early last month, the first parade to reach completion in almost 10 years.
5,000 police clashed with approximately 6,000 anti-gay protestors on October 10 who picketed the march in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade.
According to reports, between 120 and 150 people were injured in the clashes, the majority of which were police officers.
In 2001, Serbia’s first ever Gay Pride Parade was broken up in the midst of anti-gay brutality and just last year the parade was called off at the last minute when the government could not guarantee participant protection.
Police reported over 200 people were arrested on the day with more than 50 people expected to be held for a month-long detention while prosecutors investigate the violence.
Just last year, the Serbian Government adopted anti-discrimination legislation banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation while homosexuality has been decriminalised since 1994.
Serbian President Boris Tadic condemned the attacks on Belgrade streets.
‘Serbia will guarantee human rights for all its citizens, regardless of the differences among them, and no attempts to revoke these freedoms with violence will be allowed,’ Tadic said.
The recent riots may come as a blow to Serbia’s application to become a member of the European Union as the protection of minority groups is a key factor for applicant countries.
Despite the EU’s hardline stance on the protection of minorities such as LBGTI communities, even existing member states such as Lithuania have been rocked by public anti-gay sentiment.
In May, a regional Baltic pride march held in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius was marked by violence from over 1,000 anti-gay protestors who reportedly threw rocks and fireworks at pride marchers.
Estonian and Latvian LGBTI activists helped organise the event that had been initially suspended since local authorities believed they could not protect the marchers.
Benn Dorrington
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