Police wounded after Kyiv Pride attacked by ‘hooligans’
Dozens of arrests have been made, after a Pride parade in Ukraine was attacked by anti-gay vigilantes.
The Kyiv Pride parade took place in the country’s capital this week – despite calls from the city’s mayor for the event to be cancelled over threats of violence.
The event went ahead as planned, with over 150 brave LGBT people taking to the streets of the city despite the intimidation and personal risk.
However, the group came under attack from an anti-gay mob – with MP Serhiy Leshchenko reporting that 25-30 “hooligans” had been arrested.
Two policemen were reportedly wounded in the exchange with the violent mob, who pelted marchers and police alike with stones and smoke bombs.
It is not known how many protesters were hurt in the incident – but Mr Leshchenko praising the police for preventing “direct clashes” between the Pride march and the anti-gay group.
However, 2014’s Pride was been cancelled after authorities told the organizing committee they could not protect participants from homophobic violence.
The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klichko, last year claimed that it was not the time for “entertainment events” in Ukraine following unrest in the country.
This year Klichko called on the organisers to cancel the event to “avoid confrontation”.
Kyiv’s oldest cinema was nearly burned to the ground in October – when it was set on fire during the screening of a ‘gay’ film.