BRATISLAVA, June 4, (WEBNOVINY) — The second Rainbow PRIDE is taking place in the Slovak capital on Saturday. The LGBT march for human rights of non-heterosexual persons and their social and political equalization is organized by the Queer Leaders Forum civic association, the informal group Queers and a platform of young Slovak activists. It was kicked off on the Hviezdoslavovo Namestie Square.
Organizers expect more visitors than last year (1,200 people). “This year, 1,600 people preliminarily confirmed their participation. I, therefore, invite every one to join us, the more of us, the stronger our voice will be,” CEO of the Rainbow PRIDE Richard Fekete remarked.
Last year, participants of the first ever Rainbow PRIDE in Slovakia were assaulted by extremists. Organizers have promised that this year’s march will be safer. The site of the event has been enclosed and regular police members as well as heavily-armed police are guarding the event.
Diplomatic representatives of twenty countries in Slovakia voiced support for the event, for instance, the Embassies of the United States, Germany, Hungary and Poland.
Bratislava Mayor Milan Ftacnik has come to support the marchers. He opines that the event raises questions that the society has to answer. “[Even] if we don’t speak about problems of people of different [sexual] orientation, or if we try to sweep it under the carpet, we need to learn to live with it,” he said. Speaker of the Slovak Parliament Richard Sulik and other SaS representatives came, as well. “These people fight for the right thing, for their rights and freedoms,” he remarked.
The march started at 4:30 p.m. Heavily-armed police are leading the participants, whose number has exceeded 1,000, through the New Bridge above the Danube. The exact route was not disclosed in advance for safety reasons.
SITA