Thousands march in Belgrade towards deliberate Gay Pride parade

Thousands of individuals marched by Serbia’s capital Belgrade on Sunday, urging authorities to ban a deliberate Gay Pride march.

People maintain a big Russian and Serbian flag throughout a protest towards the worldwide LGBT occasion Euro Pride in Belgrade, Serbia (Photo: Reuters)

Thousands of non secular and right-wing activists marched by Serbia’s capital on Sunday calling for authorities to ban a Gay Pride march deliberate for subsequent weekend.

The protesters – who carried an enormous Serbian flag – included teams who additionally shouted slogans backing Serbia’s long-term ally Russia, in addition to nationalistic and far-right causes.

A column of bikers who assist the insurance policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, revved their engines in assist of the crowds who marched to Belgrade’s St Sava cathedral for prayers.

In a sermon, the pinnacle of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, mentioned the EuroPride occasion threatened conventional household values.

“They want to desecrate the sanctity of marriage and the family and impose an unnatural union as a substitute for marriage,” he advised the gang.

Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, mentioned on Saturday there had been threats towards the march, and it was as much as the police whether or not it must be stopped.

LGBT and rights teams have repeatedly mentioned they’ll march subsequent Saturday even when authorities name it off.

Gay intercourse is authorized in Serbia, however same-sex marriages are usually not allowed and activists say LGBT individuals face hostility and discrimination.

Serbian governments have banned Pride parades up to now, and a few occasions within the early 2000s have been marred by violence.

Many in Sunday’s crowd waved Russian flags, a present of assist for Moscow in a rustic the place the federal government is making an attempt to steadiness its ambition to affix the European Union with its longstanding ties with Russia and China.

Brussels has mentioned Serbia must make a string of reforms to grow to be an EU member, together with enhancing the rule of legislation and its human and minority rights file.

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