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Mob attacks gay pride marchers, throwing human excrement
Latvia Pride a disaster BANNED MARCH CHANGED VENUES, BUT ANTI-GAY MOB TRASHED PARTICIPANTS, THROWING HUMAN EXCREMENT The second effort to stage a gay pride parade in Riga, Latvia, was an unmitigated disaster July 22. The City Council and a court banned the parade, claiming police wouldn't be able to protect marchers from marauding homophobic mobs. So, activists instead staged a religious service at a church and meetings at a hotel. But the homophobes were not deterred by the change in plans. Scores of anti-gay protesters gathered outside the Anglican church and flung human excrement, eggs and rotten food at gays and lesbians as they left the building. "I was hit with a bag full of shit and had to go wash up," said the Rev. Maris Sants. "Protesters threw human excrement on us," said the Rev. Juris Calitis. "I was covered with it from head to foot. It was quite smelly." "Worshippers were pelted with shit and rotten fruit," said British participant Peter Tatchell. "Despite previously requesting police protection, no police were present to protect the congregation." Activist meetings later in the day at the four-star Reval Hotel met a similar fate, attracting hundreds of anti-gay demonstrators. "[We were] under siege all day by protesters from the antigay 'No Pride' movement - a highly organized alliance of Christian fundamentalists, ultra-nationalists and neo-Nazis," said Tatchell. "They roamed the streets outside the hotel looking for gays and lesbians to attack. Anyone who looked gay was liable to abuse and assault, even passing tourists. The police seemed to stand back and let them terrorize people with impunity." Posted by: Chutch Grineger4959 2006-07-28 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=161105 |