Zagreb Pride: Over 30 Activists Attacked

11 July 2007

Last Saturday, July 7, the fifth Zagreb Pride took place, the pride walk of LGBTIQ persons. The 300 participants in the walk was protected by almost as many policemen in full riot-control equipment.

However, if the Police managed to prevent incident during the walk, after the Pride ended and the Police pulled out, more than 30 people were attacked, claim the organizers of the event, some of whom had to seek medical assistance for injuries they suffered.

The Legal Team of Iskorak and Kontra associations, and the Croatian Women Network joint the reactions of the Organizing Committee to the lackadaisical and belated prevention of evident hate-crimes.

According to the Organizing Committee, it is quite obvious that this were attacks on a political gathering and the attacks were politically motivated.

- These are obvious hate-crimes and homophobic attacks, so that we demand from the Prime Minister to immediately, without hesitation and euphemisms, condemn them for what they are. In addition to attacks and insults on the participants, foreign citizens included, there were attacks on Croatian and foreign activists, i.e. eminently politically active persons. That makes the attacks so much more serious, for they represent clear attacks on freedom of thought, expression, public gathering and political action - says the Committee.

They accuse Prime Minister Sanader for his silence in a situation when homosexual persons and activists are beaten up, when the city is a scene ruled by gangs of thugs. Sanader, in Committee�s view, thus violates the Constitution, values and principles of the EU he so eagerly wants to get us into.

- The threats on wellbeing, physical integrity and freedoms of a single citizen means that the lives and freedoms of all citizens are under threat � says the press release issued by the Pride Organizing Committee.

U Pravnom timu smatraju kako činjenica da policija čak i nakon izjava niza The Legal Team believes that the fact that the Police failed to intervene even after it was informed about brutal attacks organized by gangs of thugs, leads to conclusion that the violence against sexual minorities is not sanctioned and, moreover, that such attacks are allowed and acceptable.

The Legal Team announced that it will inform OSCE and ILGA Europe about the incidents.