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Almost 600 March in Riga’s Peaceful Gay Pride
Well-known anti-gay spokesperson allowed by organisers to lead the march
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LANGUAGE OPTIONS This article is only available in English. For online instant translation in selected other languages, see below. |
 ■ Well-known anti-gay spokeswoman Liga Dimitere does her “dying swan” routine towards the end of the parade. She had led the parade for most of the route. Photo: UK Gay News |
FOUR PAGES OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF BALTIC GAY PRIDE START
HERE
RIGA, May 17, 2009 – Just under
600 people took part in the first Baltic Pride march staged yesterday in the
Latvian capital. There were no
problems – and no reported arrests.
The area around
Vērmaņdārzs Park
in the city centre was sealed-off by police and security was tight for those
who wanted to take part and gain entry to the park.
The entire police operation to provide a secure environment for all
was handled well, and in a good-humoured way.
Angry anti-gay
protestors gathered outside the park is a special area cordoned-off by the
police, who allowed the counter demonstration to go ahead.
“It is only
right that those against us should be allowed to express their views,”
commented Juris Lavrikovs, a Latvian activist.
Liga Klavina, a member of Mozaika, said LGBT Latvians continued to
face discrimination in their daily lives.
“We
face discrimination everywhere. We don’t have any rights.
I don’t have any rights.
Why,” she asked?
The Mayor of
Riga, Janis Birks issued a statement on the eve of the march saying that
people in the city “need
to learn to live together despite their differences”.
This statement
was welcomed by
Martin K.I. Christensen, the co-chair of ILGA-Europe’s executive board, who
was in Riga for the Pride.
“We are
delighted that the Baltic Pride March took place peacefully and with no
incidents,” he said.
“This is the
first time the participants of a Pride event in
One of the
remarkable aspects of the march was that anti-gay activist
Liga
Dimitere, the wife of Kaspars Dimiters, the well-known Latvian song writer,
singer and blogger, was allowed by Pride organisers to lead the parade.
Dressed as a nun, Ms. Dimitere walked backwards along the entire route – and
remained silent throughout.
It was
only towards the end of the march, in Elizabetes street, that she did, as
one observer put it, her “dying swan” routine and laid down prone at the
side of the street.
The
Latvian media saw this as an attempt to disrupt the march.
But this was hardly the case as there was more than enough room for
the parade to pass.
Madle Saluveer, a member the Estonian Gay League, commented that she did not
feel threatened by the protestors, but she did find it difficult to
understand the level of hatred shown to gay people in Latvia.
“It’s
hard to believe there is so much hate out there when there is so much love
in here,” she said.
Taking part in the march were people from around 15 different countries, in
addition to the three Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
They came from as far apart as the Faroe Islands to Turkey, arranged by
Amnesty International.
Five representatives from Pride London, which is ‘twinned’ with Riga Pride, also took part in the march.
 ■ Lambdainstabul members travelled from Turkey to attend Baltic Gay Pride. Photo: UK Gay News |
SEE ALSO
Danish Ambassador Praises Latvian Courts at Baltic Gay Pride Reception. The legal system in Latvia has proved today that the rule of law is well established – and that the human rights of everybody are – and must be – respected, the Danish Ambassador, Uffe Wolffhechel, said this evening. (UK Gay News, May 15, 2009)
Judge OKs Baltic Gay Pride in Riga in Eleventh Hour Court Decision. The Baltic Pride march tomorrow lunchtime will go ahead, a top judge at Riga Administrative Court ruled today, less the 24 hours before the march in Vērmaņdārzs Park and surrounding streets is due to take place. (UK Gay News, May 15, 2009)
Gay Pride in
Riga on Saturday in Doubt as City Council Calls Extraordinary
Meeting. Baltic Gay Pride in Riga this weekend is in
doubt, it emerged this afternoon.
Pressure from local city councillors has resulted in the City’s
committee on demonstrations and pickets announcing that they will reconvene
tomorrow (May 14) to reconsider the matter.
Majority of
Riga City Council Members Call for Ban of Saturday’s Gay Pride
Parade
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Posted: 17 May 2009 at 12:00 (UK time) |
