- Title: Polish anti-LGBT protesters clash with riot police at Lublin pride march
- Date: 28th September 2019
- Summary: PARTICIPANTS OF PARADE, PLACARD SAYING "HOMOPHOBIA KILLS"
- Embargoed: 12th October 2019 17:35
- Keywords: Poland gay rights gay pride parade ultra-nationalist riot police clashing with anti-LGBT protestors
- Location: LUBLIN, POLAND
- City: LUBLIN, POLAND
- Country: Poland
- Reuters ID: LVA002AYKNF47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Polish anti-LGBT protesters clashed with riot police in the south-eastern city of Lublin on Saturday (September 28), as a pride march caused tensions over gay rights to flare up again in the devoutly Catholic nation two weeks before of elections.
Riot police accompanied by water cannons separated the marchers, brandishing the rainbow flags of the LGBT community, from protestors trying to block their route.
Protestors chanting "Lublin without gays" tried to pelt the marchers with eggs.
A police spokesman said more than ten people had been arrested.
The ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) party has made "LGBT ideology" a key issue in its campaign ahead of the Oct. 13 parliamentary elections, saying it is an invasive foreign influence that undermines traditional Polish values.
Many pride marches have become battlegrounds, with riot police often having to protect marchers against counter-protesters. The mayor of Lublin had tried unsuccessfully to have Saturday's march banned, citing security concerns.
On Friday (September 27) the Court of Appeal upheld the district court's decision to allow the march to go ahead.
"We've had death threats, it was about forcing us to not organise this march," organiser Bartosz Staszewki told Reuters.
Activists and researchers say that the rhetoric used by the ruling party is homophobic and its goal is to mobilise PiS's conservative base.
(Production: Robert Furmanczuk, Anya Dabrowska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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