Belgrade celebrates 25 years of Pride, with authorization and requests still outstanding

The LGBTQ+ pride in Belgrade turns 25, and since that first attempt on 30 June 2001, which ended badly, overwhelmed by the brutal violence of nationalists and hooligans, so much so that it was nicknamed 'Kravi Pride', or 'Blood Pride', today Pride 25 has collected the same slogan "Ima meta za sve nas" ('There is room for all of us').

To underline how, although today the demonstration is authorised, protected and well attended, the requests of the LGBTQ+ community, from civil unions to gender recognition, are still unanswered. Starting and arriving at Manjež Park and passing in front of the government building and in sight of the Parliament, protected by police cordons in some critical points, the procession marched peacefully and festively through the streets of the centre, opened by a rainbow-coloured banner with the slogan and the presence of this year's 'godmother', the journalist of the opposition broadcaster N1 Danica Vučenić. Speaking in front of the government headquarters, in Knez Miloš avenue, the patroness said that "Pride takes place in a period of glorification of violence, of serious violations of human rights, on the anniversary of police brutality on the campus of the University of Novi Sad, in a climate of multiple attacks against the LGBT population, without any of the eight demands of the community being met".

Not far away, in front of the churchyard of the Ascension, the protest of some religious and lay people brandished crucifixes and icons and an image of Ratko Mladić also appeared and protested against the demonstrators. The procession eventually returned to Manjez Park, where a concert is taking place.