■ Latvian interior minister Dzintars Jaundžeikars: Gay Pride is “the largest security risk since Latvia gained independence”

RIGA, July 16, 2006  –  Latvian interior minister Dzintars Jaundžeikars went on record last week that the Interior Ministry would not be able to provide adequate security during this year’s Pride March, scheduled to be held on Saturday (July 22).

Jaundžeikars, one of the main opponents of last year’s Riga Pride, added that the upcoming march  is “the largest security risk since Latvia gained independence”

On the same day his  First Party of Latvia party colleage Armers Luvdiks, the vice-mayor of Riga, said in a radio debate on the Pride March that the Riga City Council should not allow the Pride March because of security risks and major opposition by the general public.

With less than a week to go, organisers have still not received official permission for the Pride March.

Last year, the first Gay Pride March in Riga was initially allowed by the city authorities.  But following what can be best described as an hysterical homophobic campaign by conservative politicians, Christian fundamentalists and nationalist radicals, the city withdrew its permission.

The ban was successfully challenged in the courts, but participants were subjected to significant violence, harassment and obstruction.

This year, some radical organisations have already come out with statements condemning the Pride March and calling for public action of protests and disturbance during the march.

The radical organisation “All for Latvia” made an issue of the LGBT Pride March one of the central topic during their congress a few weeks ago and called upon their supporters to come out to the streets and block the March.

Another radical youth organisation, “Against the Stream”, initiated a petition to collect signatures against the Pride March and collected over 13,000 signatures which were sent them to various Latvian officials, including the President of Latvia.

■ Riga police tackle one protestor at last year's Pride

Kaspars Dimiters, well known folk singer who also was one of the main campaigner against the year’s Pride and who obstructed the entrance to the Anglican Church for the Pride service, has already published an advertisement-appeal in various Latvian papers demanding that the Pride March not be allowed to take place this year.

And religious organisation ‘New Age’ broadcasts extremely homophobic statement during their TV programmes.

Riga City Council has suggested that the march this year be staged outside the city centre.  On July 11, organisers of this year Pride March met with the Riga City Council and representatives of the police.

The possible routes for the March were discussed and the Riga City Council is to host another meeting to make their final decision this week when organisers of the march will be invited to the meeting of the Riga City Council committee on demonstrations.

Alliance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and their friends – Mozaīka – strongly condemned the statement by the Interior Minister and called it “cynical and irresponsible”.

The Mozaīka board said that if the situation were no so serious, sound ridiculous that the country that hosted a World Ice Hockey Championships two months ago – and is about to host NATO summit – is afraid of “old ladies throwing boiling water through the windows”.

Mozaīka said that the organisers cannot be responsible for the action of the opponents.  If there is violence during the March is it an obligation of the state to secure for its citizens the enjoyment of their right to free expression and assembly.

If the March is banned or ‘voluntarily’ withdrawn, Mozaīka says that this will cause serious risks not just to sexual minorities, but the state, its democratic basis and its inhabitants as a whole.

“Giving-in to the threats of violence will create a dangerous precedent which will not lead to the integration of our society, but the victory of extreme organisations and the violence will justify restriction on democracy,” the group says.

“What will happen if the next year similar threats will be expressed against ethnic, national and/or religious minorities?  Will the Minister also restrict freedoms enshrined in our Constitution,” Mozaīka asks?

“If the threats to our democracy are significant and the March is the highest security risk since Latvia gained its independence, than the political parties which created tension with their populism and hatred should take responsibility for possible violence,” the group said.

And they emphasised that at last year’s Pride, the police “demonstrated high professionalism”.  But Mozaīka say they believe that there are grounds to believe the situation has changed this year.

Mozaīka is still waiting for a reply to a letter sent to the minister on June 27 suggesting a meeting to discuss the security issue.

“He is obliged by law to reply and also it is his moral obligation if he believes that our members are under risk of violence,” the group says.

“Mozaīka is very concerned that the Minister’s statement unfortunately leads some to think that, in a future, peaceful demonstrations will be restricted while cantankerous radical masses will run around Riga streets throwing explosives.”

The Friendship Days is being held in Riga between July 19 and 23, with the Gay Pride March on Saturday July 22.

The march is the only event in the Friendship Days programme that is doubt.

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