While Pride’s reception in Belgrade has improved since the first event there 25 years ago, efforts to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues elsewhere in Serbia have been marred by threats, abuse and police inaction.
In mid-July, LGBTQ+ activists in Serbia headed for the southeastern town of Pirot, on the second leg of this year’s Pride Caravan to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues and protest still widespread discrimination.
It was a good two-hour drive from Vranje, where their first event passed without incident despite threats posted in advance on social media.
The Caravan never made it into Pirot, however
The Caravan never made it into Pirot, however. On the town’s outskirts they were stopped by police, who warned them that opponents of the event were waiting for them on the central Warriors’ Square.
“The police told me ‘Well, we can’t arrest anyone. These are peaceful citizens; they’re not doing anything,’” recalled Matija Stefanovic, programme coordinator of Da se zna! [Let it be known], the organisation that runs the Caravan, an event designed to take the message of Belgrade Pride to smaller towns and cities in Serbia.
“Of course, it turned out that these were not peaceful citizens at all, but hooligans who physically attacked the male and female journalists who had arrived before us to cover our gathering.”
Source: balkaninsight.com
