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Gay Pride News: First Gay Pride event in Eastern Europe judged a success despite protests and counter demonstrations.
By: Nigel Robinson
Europride in Warsaw was a great success
Europride in Warsaw was a great success
Europride in Warsaw a hit
Europride in Warsaw which took place on Saturday 17th July defied the doomsayers and passed without any of the violence associated with other gay pride events in the former communist bloc.
The march, of over 8,000 vuvuzela-blowing revellers from all over Poland, Europe and North America, paraded through the main streets of the Polish capital without incident.
There were counter demonstrations along the route, by far right and religious groups, at least one of which equated homosexuality with paedophilia.
However, despite reports of some homophobic groups throwing eggs and plastic bottles at the parade, there was little of the trouble that had been expected and which had resulted in 2,000 police – as well as at least one riot squad - being drafted in for the day.
In the end the biggest problem the police had was keeping cool in temperatures approaching 40 degrees.
Poland’s late President Lech Kaczynski had successfully banned previous Pride marches when he had been Mayor of Warsaw, claiming that they would “promote homosexuality”.
Although a staunchly Catholic country – a petition of 50,000 signatories had unsuccessfully tried to ban this year’s march – homosexuality has been legal in Poland since 1932, and liberal attitudes largely prevail in the Polish capital.
While the overall mood of the parade was good-natured amongst the marchers and the general public, unfounded concern about possible homophobic attacks still remained.
IBM, Europride’s main sponsor and organiser of a LGBT Business Leader Forum meeting in the city, issued a security guideline in their delegates’ pack.
The leaflet advised people not to attend the Parade because of possible violent anti-gay demonstrations, or tell people that they were an LGBT Business Forum delegate.
It also provided a list of venues in the city which they recommended delegates not to visit – it was effectively a list of all the city’s main gay bars.
See pictures of Europride 2010 in Warsaw in our Flickr gallery
