ANTI-PRIDE EXTREMISTS CLASH WITH POLICE
Sun, 10 October 2010Hundreds of right-wing extremists shouting "Death to homosexuals" have been arrested by Serbian police who successfully protected participants in Belgrade's gay Pride march on Sunday.
The city's streets were sealed off as 5,000 police clashed with the neo-Nazi protestors and Christian fundamentalists, many described as young football fans, who were determined to stop the parade from going ahead by throwing rocks, bricks and petrol bombs.
The government slammed the violence which saw cars being set alight and shops looted.
"Serbia will guarantee human rights for all its citizens, regardless of the differences among them, and no attempts to revoke these freedoms with violence will be allowed," said Serbia's President, Boris Tadic.
Earlier, the Serbian Orthodox Church said that the parade "violated public morality" and undermined the "most sacred of Christian values".
Around 120 people were reported injured in the street battles, including a number of police officers, while around 200 people were arrested.
This was the first Pride event to be held in Serbia's capital city since 2001. Last's year event was cancelled when police said that they could not ensure the safety of the marchers.