Poland's LGBT community defiantly marched through Warsaw on Sat (10th). Although initially banned by the city's Mayor,the 'conservative authorities' allowed it during last week,but some far right and religious groups were out in opposition...
http://uk.gay.com/headlines/10023 ------------------
Defiant gay pride in Poland
Monday 12 June, 2006 11:39
Despite a ban by the city’s mayor, approximately 2,500 gay rights campaigners marched in the Polish capital of Warsaw at the weekend.
The Warsaw Equality March proved a resounding success, possibly helped by the media scrutiny following the violence at Moscow Pride.
One marcher carried a placard reading: “The World Is Watching”. The television satellite trucks and banks of photographers proved this statement wasn’t simply bravado.
Warsaw Pride was met with beaurocratic hostility in both 2004 and 2005. The mayor, Lech Kaczynski, managed to prevent either event from occurring. He is now Poland’s president, and despite several attempts to scupper this year’s Equality March, is faced with a large plate of rainbow flavoured, humble pie .
The police mounted a huge security operation, ensuring the participants could march safely.
Though there were isolated incidents of homophobia, overall the event passed off with good humour and a celebratory spirit inspired by years of oppression.
Right-wing anti-gay groups threatened to stage a counter march, but called off their spoiler, citing the World Cup as their reason for staying away.
If football can prove more alluring to these morons, than berating the gay community, perhaps all future pride marches should be staged during major sports events.
Clumps of “skin-head extremists” littered the route, and while the police let them express their verbal ranting, they took a hard line against anything physical.
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Two germans, one warsaw activist detained during LGBT parade
14.06.2006 22:04
from http://pl.indymedia.org/images/2006/06/21122.jpg
The fact that any human rights activists at all were detained because of their participation in the Equality Parade should be a media scandal. International LGBT groups should ignore this sort of police repression in their media reports.
Saturday 10 March 2006
21.23 - The Warsaw activist detained today has been freed [see 20.30]. He was physically assaulted in the police station, but luckily his injuries are not serious. The police stole his camera.
20.30 - one person from Germany and the activist from Warsaw have been freed
19.05 Two people from Germany are detained by the police, they may be given rather serious charges. At the police station on Wilcza Street one Warsaw activist is being held. The reasons for detaining the activist are not yet known, and the detention will probably not last long.
17.20 - there is not yet any confirmation of where the two detained people are being held. The police are providing varying responses regarding where the two are being held. About 30 antifascists are trying to find them at the moment, however, the police at ul. Wilcza 21 are noting everyone's identities rather than answering the question.
16.10 - anarchists and other anti-fascists are moving in the direction of the police station at 12 Dzielna Street, where it seems that two foreign anti-fascists are detained (including the German anarchist referred to earlier).
15.40 - we have received reports that the police have detained several more anti-fascists. Some of them are surrounded by a police cordon.
15.30 - the demo is ending at Theatre Square [plac Teatralny], now there are speeches, in 10 minutes it will end.
15.15 - speeches continue at Theatre Square from the motorised platforms. There has been an unconfirmed report that the German anarchist has been released. If this turns out to be false, then a solidarity action in front of the police station is planned.
15.05 - an incident occurred with NOP throwing stones. The police stopped NOP-ers at Bankowy Square and detained about 10; about 10 remain. The main platform has arrived at Theatre Square. Estimate: 2000-3000 demonstrators. The black bloc is about 200m behind the head of the Parade, there is no contact with the NOPers.
15.00 - the police detained a German anarchist for trying grab a homophobic poster from a NOP-er. Police tried to detain two others from the anarchist blok, but thanks to demonstrators' solidarity this was prevented.
14.50 - situation calmed down. The demo is going to Bankowy Square.
14.45 - about 20-30 NOP-ers attacked the demonstrators. A struggle occurred.
14.15 - The head of the Parade is moving along Marszałkowska Street. There are a few thousand people: about 5000 from Konstytucji Place to the Rotunda. There are two sound platforms on cars with speakers. We have reports that NOP-ers are trying to enter the crowd in order to attack individual people.
13.50 - the demonstration has got to place Konstytucji and is starting up Marszałkowska Street. Slogans: "Wierzejski! Your brother Hitler, had a whip for gays", "Romek [ed. Roman Giertych] - think of your wife, not about gays", "the Equality March keeps going". People are waving from windows to the demonstrators. Peaceful atmosphere.
13.25 - there have already been some minor scuffles between nationalists and the anarchist blok, but now not much is happening.
13.15 - there are already some counter-demonstrators, a few dozen people, mainly from NOP and ONR. In their direction can be heard: "National stupidity", etc. In the Parade, there's a rather big mix of demonstrators: from gay and independent organisations and from leftist political parties. The banners read: "Europe=Tolerance", "Bolek and Lolek [ed. brothers in a children's story, refers to Kaczyński brothers] - give them the right to love", "Mr President, your brother is gay", "Fascists of every country - nick off", etc. The close-knit anarchist blok is also clear, in which some of the people are masked.
13.05 - people are gathering under the Sejm (parliament), at the moment around 1500 people, but more and more are continuing to arrive. The anarchist blok is gathering too, with several dozen people, but there are reports that another group of about 150 anarchists are still coming.
12.00 - we have reports that at the place where the Equality Parade is planning to start, there are lots of police, checking people's identities and they're rather agressive.
Lots more photos at:
imc pl
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