«Gay rights are Human rights»We are in Gay Pride season, and this weekend it was Riga's turn. It is important to remind that Baltic states are highly homphobic and Riga's Gay Pride March was the first one to be allowed in a baltic state 2 years ago.
This year, as usual, members of groups on the far right in Latvia staged a noisy demonstration in front of the Parliament on Wednesday (May 30) demanding that lawmakers ban the gay pride parade. The groups included skinheads, extreme nationalists, neo-Nazis and churchgoers. Nothing so new... More than 100 protestors shouted homophobic slogans and handed out T-shirts to passersby bearing anti-gay messages.
However, this year - on Sunday June 3 - the march took place. Amnesty International members from all over Europe, some MEPs representing the European Parliament, the Swedish Minister for Migration Affairs and some other Danish and Norwigian politicians participated in Riga Pride 2007 in solidarity with the Latvian LGBT individuals, who are facing widespread hostility and discrimination. There were around 500 people in the march that was restrited to Riga city park due to secutiry reasons.
This year, as usual, members of groups on the far right in Latvia staged a noisy demonstration in front of the Parliament on Wednesday (May 30) demanding that lawmakers ban the gay pride parade. The groups included skinheads, extreme nationalists, neo-Nazis and churchgoers. Nothing so new... More than 100 protestors shouted homophobic slogans and handed out T-shirts to passersby bearing anti-gay messages.
However, this year - on Sunday June 3 - the march took place. Amnesty International members from all over Europe, some MEPs representing the European Parliament, the Swedish Minister for Migration Affairs and some other Danish and Norwigian politicians participated in Riga Pride 2007 in solidarity with the Latvian LGBT individuals, who are facing widespread hostility and discrimination. There were around 500 people in the march that was restrited to Riga city park due to secutiry reasons.
The events organized by Mozaika, a Latvian LGBT organization, started on 31 May and included speeches, workshops and parties, culminating with the march on Sunday 3 June. In the last two years Gay Pride parades organized by the GLBT group Mozaika exposed Latvian intolerance to homosexuality on the international arena.
Following two consecutive years of Riga Pride that have seen attacks on supporters of the march, the Latvian authorities protected the participants' safety and their right to freedom of assembly. These rights, as well as the right not to be discriminated against, must be respected not just on the day of the march but all year round.
Interview with Mozaika co-founder (Real Player)
Following two consecutive years of Riga Pride that have seen attacks on supporters of the march, the Latvian authorities protected the participants' safety and their right to freedom of assembly. These rights, as well as the right not to be discriminated against, must be respected not just on the day of the march but all year round.
Interview with Mozaika co-founder (Real Player)Last years...
In 2006 the capital city of Riga refused to grant a parade permit citing security reasons following a recommendation from Latvian Interior Minister Dzintars Jaundzeikars.
Pride organizers organized a service at a local church instead of holding a parade. As they left the church dozens were attacked by an angry mob.
They were pelted with bags of excrement and verbal abuse as police stood by watching.
Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga denounced the violence and said that it was unacceptable for the Riga City Council to refuse the parade permit.
In 2005 gays went to court and got an injunction after the city also refused a parade license. The march was marked by violence and a number of protestors were arrested.
A labor law passed in 2004 as a condition of European Union membership and as required by the EU contained protections for gays was never implemented. Last year Parliament revised it stripped out the LGBT protections and sent it to the president for her signature.
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