By Paul Canning
A gay pride march today in the city of Split in the EU-candidate former Yugoslav country of Croatia came under sustained and viscious attack.
This video most clearly shows the scale of opposition and the bravery of participants in the event:
As you can see in the video there are a number of heterosexual people supporting the event.
Another video from a phone, with missiles directed at participants at one point:
The participants appear well-armed with video cameras. By contrast, there does not appear to be video coming from the opposition forces.
A Croatian TV report showing smoke bombs thrown at the event and bloodied participants:
An Associated Press report said that dozens of those attacking the event have been arrested. Gay pride events in Coatia's capital, Zagreb, have not been attacked.
In order to join the European Union, Catholic Croatia has had to demonstrate its protection of free speech, including LGBT events. They appear to have shown it here with a large number of police trying to protect participants. Croatian President Ivo Josipovic had said:
"I ask Split residents, whether they agree or not with what Domine [LGBT] or other similar associations say, to respect their right to be different and that no one even thinks about being violent, because that would show Croatia in a very bad light."Attempts to hold LGBT events in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzogovina have been violently disrupted. Last year, gay pride in Belgrade, Serbia, was subject to a mass protest which descended into a riot. In Kosovo, gay people have held no events and report being beaten. Last year Macedonia failed to adopt an anti-discrimination law which covered sexual orientation.
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It's sad to be citizen here in Croatia, so many backward thinking. I hope that will change once we enter EU.
ReplyDeleteIt will NOT change...I am from Slovenia (EU) which is a bit more tolerant than Croatia but still....beackyard thinking as you said. It is terrible! This is Balkan and Balkan can't be changed and it's not any difference are you in Slovenia, Croatia or Macedonia...it's Balkan and Balcan will be. People are stupid and ignorant The shame here is that many of these "normal citicens" in Split who attacked gay pride are incognito watching gay movies on internet (just check google keyword tool and type word gay (localy for Croatia) and you will get milions of surches on montly basis. This tool doesn't lie it is very acurate in fact:)!! Where were they yesterday in Split?!? Please....people get real
ReplyDeleteThey were at their homes watching what they just googled. I know I'm from here, from Croatia... (sigh)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I think it has a potential to change.. but sadly the change cannot be fast, not in the lifetime of an average croatian boy nowadays. This hate evolves from the warmth of their homes, and continues to grow on the street, which is the "main school" for a great number of young croatians... where they can see and learn that being redneck on top of the pack is the key to success, and take all the girls :)
One thing further is that the most female children in Croatia are raised under "old school", in families where redneck dad (also an retired war face with 2 days spent in the front line, probably sleeping)is the main figure in family and everything composes to him, and his little son (not a rare case that hes the 10th child and first son), so that gives a male Croatian an advantage and a kick in the back to shout and raise his redneck arm like Ante Pavelic while his friend next to him sings Thompson aloud, both barely 16. Police nor government nor any kind of institution cannot do anything here. This is just a matter of time and evolution. It is sad to be a Croatian on today's day, i must agree.
Thank you for your insights. It was indeed sad to see so many young people on the other side of the fence hurling insults. Can only hope that indeed it is a "matter of time and evolution."
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid joining the EU may not improve matters (by itself, at least): see the experience of Lithuania, for instance, and the introduction of the law prohibiting discussion of anything relating to LGBT people or issues (in the name of "protecting" children).
ReplyDeleteThere may be a lot of work to be done by civil society in Croatia yet.
Is there anything we (i.e. supporters in the EU) can do from our side? (Such as writing to our foreign ministries, writing to the EU?)
Hi guys and girls,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say, living in the country, that I don't think that eradicating this kind of attitude and actions will take "time and evolution". I firmly believe that citizens who oppose bigotry should organize and counter the "opposition" in streets.
What was really illuminating about this ghastly incident were the statements from non-LGBT supporters of Pride, who stated that the general atmosphere of fear and hostility prevented them from marching in solidarity with their fellow citizens who oppose discrimination. And that's a result of a lack of effective organizing among the broad layers of the general public.
Žalosno je što ste uspijeli isprovocirati ovaj narod. Vama je i bilo u interesu da se ovako nešto desi pa da dobijete publicitet koji želite. Jer ovo nema veze sa pravima, ovo sve je jedan veliki big brother u kojem vi igrate svoju igru.
ReplyDeletei lived half my life in the states and canada, other half in Split, im proud of Split for what happend, split is a beutiful city and we have a beutiful lifestyle here, we dont need no LGBT or EU.....
ReplyDeleteThings will never change on this bad ground.People are
ReplyDeleteprogrammed this way.No matter how you try this way or another it is getting worse every day.What can you expect from religiously oriented country?
Entire world is a big brother today
Let the gays live on goli otok
ReplyDeleteLet the gays live on goli otok
ReplyDelete