The situation was tense this Saturday in Belgrade where representatives of the LGBTQ community promised to march despite the ban on a Europride march by the authorities, raising fears of potential excesses. Serbia’s Interior Ministry banned the parade on Tuesday, citing security concerns as far-right groups threatened to stage their own protests after a series of counter-Pride in the capital.
“As activists, we will use our democratic rights to civil disobedience and protest” along a considerably shortened route, organizers said after the administrative court rejected an appeal on Saturday. against the ban.
The ministry has also banned counter-demonstrations, but in far-right chat groups, users have promised to gather outside churches to protest. The day before, the United States Embassy had called on its nationals to avoid the parade in the event of the ban being confirmed, citing “the possibilities of uncontrolled crowds, violence and potential fines” from the authorities.
“The implicit consecration of intolerance”
The decision to ban the march, the culmination of Europride, an annual pan-European event held in a different country each year, has caused dismay among rights NGOs.
It is a “shameful surrender, and the implicit consecration of intolerance and threats of unlawful violence,” according to Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch.
Serbia has been the subject of intense international pressure, more than 20 embassies, including those of the United States, France, Germany or Japan, calling on it in a joint statement to reconsider its decision. At least 15 members of the European Parliament will march in solidarity during the march scheduled for the end of the afternoon.
Serbia has been a candidate for membership of the European Union for a decade but member states have raised concerns over its rights record over the years.
Gay marriage is not legal in this country of less than seven million inhabitants, where homophobia is deeply rooted despite some progress against discrimination.
The Pride marches of 2001 and 2010 were marred by violence after being targeted by the far right. Since 2014, the Pride has been held without notable incident but under high police protection.