AFP 29.8.22
EuroPride organizers plan to press on with parade despite pushback
Thousands of Orthodox Christians marched in Belgrade Sunday to warn against holding EuroPride, despite the Serbian authorities’ decision to cancel the pan-European gathering of the LGBTQ community next month.
Carrying icons, crosses and religious flags, protesters marched through the city center while praying and chanting before gathering outside the cathedral of St. Sava.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday announced that he decided, in consultation with the government, that the pride parade would be “postponed or cancelled.”
Vucic said it was not possible to “handle everything” at a time when Serbia was “pressured with all kinds of problems,” underlining recent tensions with former province Kosovo and concerns over energy and food.
But EuroPride organizers vowed to press on with the parade.
“Pride will go ahead as planned on September 17,” Belgrade Pride coordinator Marko Mihailovic said.
Addressing the crowd on Sunday, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Nikanor hailed the authorities’ decision to reverse “the desecration of our country, our Church and our family.”
For him, it was an “abnormality” which should be treated as in the Russia of President Vladimir Putin — whom he referred to as “the tsar of the planet,” according to video footage on the Glas Javnosti news site.
In 2013, Russia introduced a law banning LGBT “propaganda” aimed at minors, punishable with fines and imprisonment.
Bishop Nikanor said the faithful were ready to take to the streets again to “put themselves before those who intend to destroy the values of Serbia.”
The first two Belgrade Pride marches, in 2001 and 2010, were marred by violence. The parade has been organized regularly since 2014 but with a large law enforcement presence.
And another thing. The Orthodox churches aren’t exactly friendly to Jews. If Jews had a pro-Israel parade in Eastern Europe, oh sorry, there aren’t enough Jews left there for a parade, do you think the wonderful church goers there would let it go on? No, it would be called off to prevent violence against the hypothetical Jews who aren’t in Eastern Europe anymore. But go ahead, applaud all those cute people pushing strollers, just don’t think about what Orthodox churches say about Jews.
Such a red herring. No offense to Serbian people, but Serbia, like Belarus, Transnistria and Kaliningrad, are weaponized against the West. Staging areas for migrants, weapons, pathogens…But yay, they don’t like gay parades, so never mind the other things they’re doing. Social conservatives are too easy to manipulate. There are gay parades in Israel, but none in Gaza. Let’s all switch sides then.
Americans too
I wish we Brits had as much courage and determination!
Good for them!