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Sunday, October 20, 2013

Violence hits Montenegro capital's first Gay Pride march - Yahoo News

Violence hits Montenegro capital's first Gay Pride march - Yahoo News
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Twenty police officers were injured on Sunday in clashes with hundreds of stone-throwing protesters opposed to the first Gay Pride march held in Montenegro's capital, a hospital said.
Police used tear gas and clubs to stop protesters throwing stones and firecrackers from getting near the marchers who had been given an official green light for their parade.
Around 60 protesters were detained and the hospital said that of the 20 policemen injured one was seriously hurt.
No information on injured protesters was immediately available.
The march was held amid tight security as more than 2,000 officers sealed off central Podgorica to keep opponents out. A police helicopter kept a constant presence during the event.
Only participants of the march and people with special accreditation were authorised to enter the city centre.
Fights broke out in several places outside the perimeter set up by security forces, windows of cafes and shops were smashed, and rubbish bins were overturned in the streets.
However, police successfully fought back repeated attempts by protesters to approach or attack the marchers.
Sexual minorities still face discrimination in the tiny former Yugoslav republic of 650,000 inhabitants, which is seeking to join the European Union.
Surveys show 70 percent of Montenegrins, who are mainly Christian Orthodox, still consider homosexuality an illness, while 80 percent believe it should be kept private.
"As of today the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community is no longer invisible in Montenegro, but we will continue the fight for our rights," organiser Danijel Kalezic told marchers who waved rainbow flags and carried banners demanding "equal rights for everyone".
The Montenegrin government backed the event and the Minister for Human and Minority Rights Suad Numanovic was in attendance.
After the march, police evacuated participants towards a secure location, and by late afternoon calm had returned.
Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic thanked locals for their cooperation and patience.
"Podgorica citizens showed a high level of tolerance towards the participants of the march and proved that they accept diversity," he said in a statement.
Montenegro's first ever Gay Pride march was held in the coastal town of Budva in July, and was also marred by violence.
In Montenegro, as in most Balkan states, gays and lesbians live in fear of hate crimes, claiming they do not trust the authorities to protect their rights.