- Title: ROMANIA: Annual gay pride parade takes place in Bucharest
- Date: 5th June 2011
- Summary: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (JUNE 4, 2011) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GATHERING FOR THE GAY PARADE VARIOUS OF TRANSVESTITES VARIOUS OF GAY PRIDE PARADE A LARGE BALLOON READING "FREE TO BE WHAT WE ARE" (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PARTICIPANT, REMUS, SAYING: "Democracy in Romania has to grow, including recognition of the rights of all citizens, with all their particularities, including sexual
- Embargoed: 20th June 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Romania, Romania
- Country: Romania
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAAGZFVLGYHTAI4VDXIJTL5S8WZ
- Story Text: Romaina's gay community demanded equal rights on Saturday (June 4) during an annual Gay Pride parade.
The event in the Romanian capital attracted around 200 participants, including a number of colourfully-dressed transvestites.
"Democracy in Romania has to grow, including recognition of the rights of all citizens, with all their particularities, including sexual ones," said one participant, Remus.
"Love is always the winner. Hate cannot be accepted in Romanian society, it doesn't matter which minority group it's against," said organiser Florin Buhuceneau.
The event, which went ahead despite an earlier protest that attempted to prevent it, was policed by around 200 officers. Streets were closed and only participants with special permits and journalists were allowed to enter.
Saturday's event was part of the Gay Fest week, and was organised by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisation, Accept.
Romania decriminalised homosexuality in 2001, but gay people often face hostility in a largely conservative country where the powerful Orthodox church views homosexuality as a sin and a disease. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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