-Caveat Lector- Violence as Serbian homosexuals hold first Gay Pride march Agence France Presse June 30, 2001 Police fired in the air in a bid to disperse several hundred anti-gay nationalists who stoned and beat homosexual activists taking part in the first-ever Gay Pride parade in Yugoslavia on Saturday. At least four activists and one policeman were injured when groups mainly made up of young skinheads and Serbian nationalists attacked several dozen gay activists on Belgrade's central square. Radio B92 reported that at least 10 attackers were detained, while six policemen suffered head injuries. The radio said members of the right-wing conservative group "Obraz" (Cheek) was organising the protest against the gay activists. They also beat to the ground four women from the lesbian association Labris. Lepa Mladjenovic of the Labris group told AFP that the anti-gay forces were waiting on the square where the activists had scheduled their gathering, immediately attacking and beating them as they arrived. The Gay Pride march was planned months ago and came a day after thousands of die-hard nationalist supporters of ousted leader Slobodan Milosevic took to the streets of the capital in anger at his extradition to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. Several dozen policemen managed to push back the groups, who shouted "We do not want gays in Serbia!" "Long Live the Serbian Kingdom" and waved WWII nationalist flags with the insignia "With faith in God, For King and Kingdom." The nationalists later marched through central Belgrade, beating and stoning small groups of gay activists gathered in a nearby students cultural center. Police again fired in the air, but failed to prevent further clashes. One of the skinheads among the attackerss wore a T-shirt with a Dutch flag and the initials ICTY, with the date of Milosevic's extradition, June 28 on his back. They shouted "Serbia for the Serbs and not for gays" and "This is an Orthodox country where there will be no immorality." Some groups stoned the office of the the Social Democratic Union, the party of Serbian deputy prime minister Zarko Korac, which had already come under attack in March when six men stormed its premises, injuring four people. The party has openly supported homosexual movements. The Gay Pride demonstration was called by several groups of gay activists, who have tried to publicize their presence in Serbia in the past two years, to mark international gay day on June 27. "After years of silence, we join the world celebration of the Gay pride of homosexuals determined to break the fears and taboos, encourage each other and decrease hostilities," its statement said. Although the gay community in Serbia has reportedly been increasing, many conservative traditionalists remain hostile towards it. Soon after the demonstration was publicized placards appeared in central Belgrade calling "the Orthodox to gather for a spiritually healthy Serbia" at the same time as the Gay Pride. "Let us prevent anti-Christian, homosexual immorality and perverse orgies," the posters said. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
