Belgrade police dressed in riot gear clashed with soccer hooligans and other anti-lgbtq protesters yesterday as a pan-European pride march was being held in the city. Thousands of people participated in the pride march although it had been officially banned earlier this week due to threats from far-right extremists. Just a couple of miles from the march, police clashed with anti-lgbtq protesters who attacked authorities with grenades, stones and flares. This led to 64 anti-lgbtq protesters being arrested and ten police officers sustaining injuries.
The march’s trajectory was shortened significantly due to the ban. This as Serbian authorities had deemed it an illegal march by stating that “we will not tolerate any violence in Belgrade streets, any more than illegal marches.” The country did however receive guidance from the international community to lift the ban. More than 20 embassies issued a joint statement asking Serbia to allow the march, including France, the U.S. and the U.K.
Although Serbia currently is being led by an openly gay prime minister, same-sex marriage has yet to be made legal and homophobia is still a widespread problem in the country. Serbia’s prime minister, Ana Brnabić, said that she’s “proud” that the march ended without any “major incidents.”