05/27/2008
Riot Police Stand Guard Over Romanian Gay Pride Parade
A gay pride parade was held in Bucharest, Romania on Saturday, following demonstrations by nationalist and ultra-orthodox groups. It was watched over by approximately 1,200 police officers in riot gear:
"Two counter-demonstrations were held ahead of the parade. At one, members of a far-right group chanted 'Romania does not want you' in a protest they said was 'against sin'. Romania decriminalized homosexuality in 2001, but gay people often face hostility in this largely conservative country of 22 million where the powerful Orthodox church views homosexuality as a sin and a disease. Police said the gay rights march passed off without incident. 'It is encouraging,' riot police spokesman Marius Militaru told reporters. 'People are becoming aware that we are heading towards a degree of normality.' Last year riot police detained dozens of protesters who tried to break up a gay rights march."
Last year
Stones, Tear Gas Mark Gay Pride Rally in Bucharest, Romania [tr]
Posted 4:15 PM EST by Andy in Gay Pride, Gay Rights, News, Romania | Permalink
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Real heroism is participating in a Pride march in Bucharest or Belgrade or Moscow or any other fascist-thug heavy nation.
These GLBT marchers inspire me by taking their defiant stands against the baying hordes of humorless, sexually delicate knuckle dragging nazi's in dark glasses (so courageous!).
Posted by: FASTLAD | May 27, 2008 4:47:43 PM
So the police in Bucharest can do this, but the police in Moscow are incapable of protecting marchers? Wimps!
Posted by: Kevinvt | May 28, 2008 5:59:59 AM
Is that TOM CRUISE behind those shades??? Methinks he doth protest too much.
Posted by: Raymie | May 28, 2008 8:05:17 AM
This indeed is BRAVERY!! Yeah the front row dude does look like Tommy boy.
Posted by: Shabaka | May 28, 2008 12:14:02 PM