the 2014 festivities had to be canceled.
Ukraine LGBTI Pride Cancelled For Fear Of Homophobic Attacks
05 July 2014 | By Liam Johnson
The capital of Ukraine was ready to celebrate LGBTI pride today (5 July), but because police cannot guarantee the safety of participants against homophobes it has been cancelled.
Kyiv Pride 2014 was scheduled to happen today, but instead, no official LGBTI pride celebrations will be taking place.
Anti-gay homophobes were expected to arrive at the celebrations with intent to disrupt them and potentially attack participants, so police told organizers they must cancel their event.
Human rights groups such as Amnesty International have slammed this decision.
‘The importance of the right to freedom of assembly was dramatically evidenced in the EuroMaydan protests,’ said John Dalhuisen, Director of the Europe and Central Asia Programme at Amnesty International.
‘It’s hugely disappointing that only five months later, the peaceful enjoyment of this right is being selectively denied by the very authorities who profited from it. Only last week in a meeting with the Ministry of Internal Affairs we were assured that the event would be properly policed.’
‘They must ensure, without fail, that next year’s march is adequately policed to ensure the protection of all those wishing to take part.’
The official website for Kyiv Pride said it was expecting over 200 people to attend Pride, but they wrote on their website yesterday (4 July) the event had been cancelled.
‘This is a human rights march. But we are forced to cancel the meeting, as heard from the leaders of the Metropolitan Police that they would not guarantee the safety of people who come,’ said Elena Shevchenko, co-chairman of the Pride organizing committee.
‘The rights and freedoms must be secured in Ukraine equally to all, without reservations and restrictions, including no discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity,’ said Tatiana Mazur, Director of Amnesty International in Ukraine.
‘For the new Ukraine human rights must be the highest value.’
On social media users reacted to the news of the cancellation.
‘Saddest part with today's cancelled #KyivPride march is that police protection is needed. Right to choose whom to love is basic human right,’ tweeted A von Beckerath.
Twitter users also reported a small civil rights flash mob was held today to protest the cancellation of the pride celebrations.
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/ukraine-lgbti-pride-cancelled-fear-homophobic-attacks050714#sthash.WbhBeVxG.dpuf
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