■  Anhelita Kamenska:  “Latvian people now have the right of assembly — and the police will now protect demonstrations.” photo: Latvian Centre for Human Rights

RIGA, June 2, 2007  —  The effect of last year’s abandoned Riga Gay Pride, when participants attending private indoor events had animal excrement thrown over them from No Pride protestors, has had a positive effect for all of Latvian society, Anhelita Kamenska of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights said this afternoon.

She said that the negative world-wide publicity for Latvia, combined with a court case, had resulted in all demonstrations now being permitted.

“Latvian people now have the right of assembly — and the police will now protect demonstrations,” Ms. Kamenska said.

She said that the decision by a local court to back the ban on last year’s Pride Parade was overturned on appeal by the regional court.

“In their judgement, the regional court also severely criticised local policing of Pride.”

She agreed that the money said to be coming into Latvia from American evangelical churches to support the ‘anti-gay” groups, including the Russian-speaking New Generation Church, was of concern.

“But the sources of funding were being investigated by the authorities,” she pointed out.

But Ms. Kamenska said it was her impression that there was a lot more support for the No Pride group last year than their appeared to be this year.

Both the New Generation Church and the No Pride group have frequently accused foreigners of “interferring with internal Latvia matters” when it comes to the gay rights movement.

As one gay activist commented: “It is wrong for foreigners to come and support us, but it is OK for Americans to come and support the homophobic groups — and to finance them.  Is this being consistent?”

American anti-gay campaigner and author of The Pink Triangle, Scott Lively is currently in Riga and last Tuesday gave a lecture to local anti-gay supporters (click here for the Good As You webpage that contains video of part of the lecture).

Mr. Lively told his audience that the European Union is backing the ‘gay agenda’.

“We are dealing with a movement (the EU) with enormous power,” he said.  “It has targeted [Latvia] to be controlled next.

“You must understand this,” he continued.  “There is no compromise with the gay movement.  Once they start to take power, they will never stop.”

Preaching ‘fire and brimstone’, Mr. Lively then went on to say that “Latvia needs Exodus International”, one of many groups that claim to ‘cure gays’.  And he pointed to the USA as an example of the success of Exodus.

“What Lively said is very worrying — and untrue,” said an activist from Belarus   “I am concerned that he is putting a lot of effort to bring his homophobic lies to the eastern part of Europe.”

And his feelings were echoed by many Latvians.

A message of support for Riga Friendship Days and Gay Pride from Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger, a member of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament and the president of Liberal Judaism in the UK.

Writing to “Pride” organisers, Mozaika, the Baroness hoped that her message “brings cheer to everyone celebrating and marking these three days, and that it also make sit clear that the view of some orthodox communities about homosexuality are not shared by all Jews, or even the majority.”

Referring to the legal status of same-sex couples in a committed relationship, she pointed out that Liberal Judaism had introduced a religious ceremony.

“I am particularly proud that Liberal Judaism has been the first religious organisation worldwide to write and publish a service of religious blessing for couples who have had a civil partnership ceremony and wish to mark it with a religious blessing afterwards,” she wrote.

“The fact that we have published such a service makes it clear that we regard gay couples as absolutely equal with heterosexual couples and wish to involve them in every possible way within our religious services and our communal organisations.

“But we are not alone,” she continued.  “Although Reform and Masorti Judaism have not gone as far as we have, both welcome LGBT people into their congregations as well, and there is no suggestion that homosexuality is frowned on or seen as second class. Indeed, with the new service of blessing, it is celebrated within our Liberal Jewish communities.”