LATVIA
Peaceful Gay Pride Staged in Riga Amid Tight Security
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Riot police keep
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RIGA, June 3, 2007 — Around 1,200 people marched around the Vermanes Gardens at lunchtime as Riga staged, after two previous attempts, its Gay Pride. But it was not like most Prides around the world. Today was more of a walk around the park with tight security. The main thing, as everyone agreed, was that it happened and it was peaceful. Gay men and women from across Europe — not to mention dozens of Tinky Winkys — journeyed to the Latvian capital in solidarity with their embattled ‘brothers and sisters’. “We just had to come here,” said one German visitor. “The Latvian gays have had terrible experiences at the last two Prides, so this is my way of telling them that they are not forgotten. “We are gay and we are Europeans — it’s all about solidarity,” he added. Among those taking part were a number of politicians from across the continent — from Spain to Finland. Raül Romeva, a vice president of the European Parliament’s ‘Intergroup” for gay and lesbian rights, described the Pride as “a marvellous achievement”. “I am very pleased that it went smoothly,” he said. “The Riga authorities did a good job in making sure that the event ran smoothly and without any trouble.” But comparing Riga Pride with other Prides in Europe, he said that having it in a park was a bit like “being in a zoo”. “It’s a good start,” he was quick to point out. “Perhaps in the future Riga Pride will be through the streets of the city. “Mozaika [the Pride organisers] and the city can be proud of today,” he added. Security was tight. Special fencing was erected around Vermanes Gardens, which was completely sealed off. Participants were searched by police before they entered the area, but there were no complaints. The march was more like a stroll around the park. But there were flags aplenty, banners, slogans and lots of colour.
One of the foreign visitors was Vichaslau Bortnik, from neighbouring Belarus where Gay Prides are now totally forbidden since 2001 when 300 marched in Minsk. “While I had the feeling that we were in a zoo, it was better than nothing,” he said. “I hope that today will have a lot of media coverage in Latvia to show people that such an event can be staged peacefully. “The police were fantastic and everyone worked so hard to make the event go without problems. “Most of the people watching the parade through the railings were supportive,” he felt. “Many were waiving at us.” At one stage, a No Pride skinhead supporter tried hurling homophobic abuse at the parade. But he was quickly taken to task by several of the hundreds of police, including ‘riot” police, present.
Volker Beck, the member of the German Bundestag who was in Moscow last weekend for the city’s troubled Gay Pride, declared to participants that “this is the first real gay parade in Riga”. “A wonderful day — the fist legal Pride n Riga,” he told an enthusiastic audience. “May there be many more.” Not shy of poking a little fun at the Polish government and their official investigation into the sexuality of Tink Winky from the children's TV programme TeleTubbies, many brought a Tinky Winky to the Pride. “I think Tinky Winky is perhaps the official guardian of the Rainbow Flag in Europe, ” joked a participant from Sweden.Following the parade, local police laid on buses to take participants to a safe area of the city. There are no reports of anyone being injured. However, according to the BBC, a paint bomb and a couple of firecrackers were throw into the park by protestors. Skinheads were making obscene gestures at participants when they left the main entrance to the park, but there were dozens of police to ensure a peaceful departure. The British Ambassador to Latvia, Ian Bond, is reported to have made a personal appeal to the country's Prime Minister to see that the Pride went off in safety for everyone. ■ The No Pride group staged a counter-event nearby — a rock concert and rally with the title “World Against Homosexuality”. Organisers had predicted an attendance of 10,000, but no more than 1,500 attended. Four pages of Riga Pride photos start HERE OTHER RIGA PRIDE 2007 COVERAGE Riga Gay Pride: Mozaika Pleased at ‘March for Equality’ Success. Mozaīka, the Latvian alliance of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals (LGBT) and their friends, is very pleased about the “March for Equality” which took place in Vērmaņdārzs Park in Rīga on June 3, 2007, as part of their “Friendship Days 2007” festival. Riga Ready for Gay Pride. The Riga city authorities are tonight putting-in security measures around the downtown Vermanes Park in a bid to prevent supporters of the No Pride group from disrupting tomorrow’s Gay Pride March. Latvians Have Better Rights of Assembly After Last Years Gay Pride Problems. 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.
UK and Sweden Show Official Support for Riga
Gay Pride. Support for
Riga Friendship Days and Gay Pride has come today from the British
Ambassador, the Chief of Staff of the Swedish Navy and an MEP — all hoping
for a “celebration’ when the main event, the parade, takes place in Vermanes
Park on Sunday.
Posted:
1 June 2007 at
16:30 UK
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