Violent Protests at First Gay Pride Parade in Montenegro

AFP
July 24, 2013

montenegro

Riot police in Montenegro on Wednesday clashed with stone-throwing extremists protesting against the first gay pride parade held in the staunchly conservative country that is seeking to join the European Union.

More than 100 anti-gay protesters, mostly young hardline football fans, chanted “Kill the gays!” as they hurled rocks and bottles to disrupt a march by several dozen gay activists in the coastal town of Budva.

Police officers pushed back the attackers and formed a cordon around the marchers, who waved rainbow flags and blew whistles.

Five of the protesters were detained.

No one was seriously injured in the scuffles but police later used boats to escort the marchers away from the town’s historic centre in an attempt to avoid further incidents.

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