Warsaw - Hundreds marched in the Polish capital's annual gay
rights parade Saturday amid heavy a police presence and counter-
protests by right-wing nationalist groups.
Some 2,000 gays, lesbians and supporters set off from a downtown
square in the Warsaw Pride parade, waving rainbow-coloured gay pride
and European Union flags. They were led by several trucks blasting
techno music, filled with dancers and women wearing Las Vegas-style
feathered headpieces.
Counter-protesters from the All-Polish Youth and National Radical
Camp gathered at another end of Bank Square, separated by a line of
police officers.
They shouted slogans like, 'God, Honour, Nation,' and yelled at
the marchers to 'go get medicated' to the tune of 'Guantanamera.'
Many raised their middle fingers as the demonstrators set off on
their route.
The parade is 'so we can show we can normally walk down the street
and not be afraid,' said Grzegorz Czarnecki of the Campaign Against
Homophobia.
Marchers wove through Warsaw's main streets to end the parade in
front of prime minister's office. The counter-protesters didn't
follow, and police had set up guard at metro stations along the
parade's route.
Lucian Golz of Warsaw watched the parade from the sidelines, and
said he'd never allow it if he were in power.
'I was brought up traditionally. I'm for normalcy, and for me this
isn't natural,' he said. 'I don't want to upset anyone, because we
must be tolerant, but I can only laugh ... this is simply showing
off.'
Homosexuality remains a touchy subject in largely conservative,
Roman Catholic Poland. The parade, now in its seventh year, was
banned in two previous years by the city's mayor.
Czarnecki marched with the demonstrators and gave out gay pride
flags to onlookers. He said that while Poland is becoming more
tolerant, there is still plenty of discrimination and no marriage
rights for gays.
'You can't be open in public ... because there's potential for
physical danger, but mostly it's everyday disapproval,' Czarnecki
said.
© Deutsche Presse-Agentur
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