Thousands march against Pride event due to take place in Belgrade
Thousands of religious and right-wing activists demonstrated against a planned Pride march due to take place in Belgrade. It came a day before the Serbian city commenced celebrations for EuroPride, a pan-European international event dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community set to get underway from 12 September.
The event marks the first time a country in south-east Europe has hosted it, as well as being the first to take place outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).
However, protesters opposed to it marched through the streets of Belgrade chanting slogans supporting far-right causes and nationalistic views.
Some used the opportunity to show their alignment with Russia, a longtime ally of Serbia, including a column of bikers who revved their engines in solidarity with those marching to the St Sava cathedral to pray. “They want to desecrate the sanctity of marriage and the family and impose an unnatural union as a substitute for marriage,” said Patriarch Porfirije, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, during a sermon to the crowd.
