SERBIA-GAY/PRIDE Gay rights activists in Serbia hold first Pride in four years

Record ID: 278187

  • Title: SERBIA-GAY/PRIDE Gay rights activists in Serbia hold first Pride in four years
  • Date: 28th September 2014
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PRIDE PARADE IN PROGRESS / PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET CARRYING BANNER READING IN SERBIAN: "Pride for all" MAN PLAYING TRUMPET PRIDE PARADE IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING POLICE HELICOPTER FLYING PRIDE PARADE PARTICIPANTS WALKING BY SERBIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING GENDARMES RUNNING INTO POLICE VEHICLE GENDARMES STANDING ON SIDE OF VEHIC
  • Embargoed: 13th October 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Serbia
  • Country: Serbia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4OL7YJ22JBJ2N7PIJMD39JKY3
  • Story Text: Gay rights activists in Serbia march through the streets of Belgrade for their first such gathering in four years amid a massive security operation.
    RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT

    SHOWS: BELGRADE, SERBIA (SEPTEMBER 28, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
    1. PEOPLE GATHERING IN FRONT OF SERBIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING
    2. PRIDE PARADE PARTICIPANTS ON STREET
    3. PEOPLE ON STREET / RIOT POLICEMEN STANDING
    4. RIOT POLICEMEN STANDING ON STREET
    5. VARIOUS OF GENDARMES STANDING IN FRONT OF SERBIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING
    6. PRIDE PARTICIPANT HOLDING BANNER READING (In English): "Stop violating human rights"
    7. POLICEMEN STANDING ON STREET/METAL BARRIERS CORDON ON STREET
    8. MEMBERS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FROM CROATIA HOLDING BANNER READING (In Croatian) :"Human rights are my Pride"
    9. SIGN READING (In Croatian) "Amnesty International Croatia"
    10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL EUROPE, NICOLAS BEGER, SAYING:
    "Its very important that the Pride is going ahead, this is about LGBT rights, and people being freed from discrimination and being able to go to streets, but it is also about the liberty of everybody in Serbia and the well being of the whole society if minorities can show their lifestyle."
    11. (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) PRIDE PARADE ORGANISER, GORAN MILETIC, SAYING:
    "This is something similar to what we had in 2010, with the big police presence on our streets, but it seems that a lot has changed in the last five years. We will have a Pride that will send a message which is much better than in 2010, and it will be much better, and I think that the authorities have realized something as well."
    12. PEOPLE DANCING IN STREET, TWO MEN GOING UNDER RAINBOW FLAG
    13. PEOPLE DANCING
    14. WOMAN DANCING WAVING RAINBOW FLAG
    15. (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) MAYOR OF BELGRADE, SINISA MALI, SAYING:
    "We have a great opportunity to send a powerful message and picture to all that Belgrade is an open city, a city where all are equal, and a safe city where everyone is welcomed. That's my mission today."
    16. GENDARME STANDING ON STREET
    17. PEOPLE STANDING ON STREET
    18. TRAFFIC LIGHT
    19. VARIOUS OF PRIDE PARADE IN PROGRESS / PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET CARRYING BANNER READING IN SERBIAN: "Pride for all"
    20. MAN PLAYING TRUMPET
    21. PRIDE PARADE IN PROGRESS
    22. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING
    23. POLICE HELICOPTER FLYING
    24. PRIDE PARADE PARTICIPANTS WALKING BY SERBIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING
    25. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING
    26. GENDARMES RUNNING INTO POLICE VEHICLE
    27. GENDARMES STANDING ON SIDE OF VEHICLE / VEHICLE DRIVING AWAY
    28. ANTI-PRIDE PROTESTERS ON STREET
    29. VARIOUS OF ANTI PRIDE PROTESTERS WALKING BY RIOT POLICEMEN
    30. RIOT POLICEMEN THROWING ANTI PRIDE PROTESTER ON GROUND
    31. GENDARMES STANDING / ONE GENDARME CHECKING ID PAPERS OF A MAN
    32. VARIOUS OF GENDARMES WALKING AND TAKING TWO MEN INTO POLICE VAN
    Story: Gay rights activists in Serbia held their first Pride march in four years on Sunday (September 28), walking through Belgrade streets emptied of traffic and pedestrians by a massive security operation.
    Thousands of riot police with armoured vehicles, water cannon, horses and shields sealed off streets leading to the site of the short march from the government headquarters to parliament, to prevent a repeat of running battles with hardline nationalists and football hooligans that took place in 2010.
    Authorities banned Pride for the next three years, citing security concerns. Homophobia is widespread in Serbia and other conservative societies in the Balkans; the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church last week compared homosexuality to paedophilia and incest.
    But with Serbia setting out on talks to join the European Union, the bloc has made clear it sees Pride as a litmus test of the country's commitment to defend the human rights of all.
    Hundreds of people took part, waving rainbow flags and blowing whistles as a police helicopter flew low over the city.
    "Its very important that the Pride is going ahead, this is about LGBT rights, and people being freed from discrimination and being able to go to streets, but it is also about the liberty of everybody in Serbia and the well being of the whole society if minorities can show their lifestyle," said Nicolas Beger, Director of Amnesty International Europe.
    "This is something similar to what we had in 2010, with the big police presence on our streets, but it seems that a lot has changed in the last five years. We will have a Pride that will send a message which is much better than in 2010, and it will be much better, and I think that the authorities have realized something as well," Goran Miletic, one of the organizers, said.
    Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist who has rebranded himself as a pro-Western reformer, said on Thursday he had "no intention" of joining the march, but several of his ministers and the mayor of Belgrade turned out.
    "We have great opportunity to send a powerful message and picture to all that Belgrade is an open city, a city where all are equal, and a safe city where everyone is welcomed. That's my mission today," Sinisa Mali, Belgrade mayor said.
    There was no sign of the large groups of hooligans and nationalists that rioted in 2010 in response to the previous march.
    Only some 50 protesters marched on nearby streets, and a very strong police presence prevented any big riots. Some of the protesters were detained by police.
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