Serbian Police Ban 2022 EuroPride March In Belgrade

Just days ahead of the event, Serbian authorities have banned the 2022 EuroPride Parade through the streets of the country’s capital Belgrade.

Last month, a Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop had called for armed attacks on LGBTQI people marching in EuroPride. Subsequently, Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić had called off the march citing “security concerns”. 

EuroPride organisers had said they would go ahead with the parade, but this week updated that police had banned the route of the Pride walk scheduled for September 17, 2022. 

“The Serbian Police banned this year’s EuroPride March, by handing over the official notice to the organisers. Belgrade Pride will use all available legal means to overturn this decision,” Belgrade Pride, the organisers of 2022 EuroPride said in a statement on social media. They have called on people to fly the rainbow flag from their balconies. 

Police bans EuroPride 2022 March

Today, on September 13, the Serbian Police banned this year’s EuroPride March, by handing over the official notice to the organizers. Belgrade Pride will use all available legal means to overturn this decision. Expect more information soon. pic.twitter.com/4FuJUihBTC

— Belgrade Pride (@belgradepride) September 13, 2022

Attacks On Pride Events

Belgrade is the first city in Southeast Europe and the first outside the European Economic Area to host a major Pride event for the European LGBTQI community.

The first Pride march in Belgrade took place in 2001 and had witnesses regular attacks from right wing and religious extremists. Since 2014, following years of advocacy by local organisations, Pride events had passed off peacefully. 

https://twitter.com/ShaneCaldwell_/status/1569061851132006402

Last month, Serbian Orthodox Church bishop Nikanor Bogunović of Banat said he would “curse” all the participants of EuroPride and had called for armed attacks.

“I will curse all those who organise and participate in something like that,” Nikanor said. “I can do that much. If I had a weapon, I would use it, I would use that force if only I had it, but I do not.”

Serbia’s President Vučić had then told local media that the Bishop’s insults were directed at the country’s first out lesbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić.

In recent days, the city had witnessed large anti-LGBTQI street protests against the Pride, including one led by church clergy. 

BREAKING

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic dared to arrive at the opening of the @EuroPride International Human Rights Conference.

Her Police just banned the Pride March.

Pride is protest. No Pride = no European future.

Bye Brnabic.

🏳️‍🌈🇷🇸🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/BoxrRAVtnf

— Rémy Bonny (@RemyBonny) September 13, 2022

Protect EuroPride Participants, Say MEPs

“Weeks of uncertainty concerning the holding of this march have sent a wrong message to the public and made space for hateful rhetoric and more threats against LGBTI people, including from religious leader,” ILGA-Europe posted on Twitter.

Around 141 Members of the European Parliament had signed a statement from the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBTI Rights, calling on Serbian authorities to allow the Pride march and deploy sufficient police to protect the marchers. 

“EuroPride in Belgrade is highly significant because LGBTIQ people continue to face discrimination in the Balkans, as they do in other parts of Europe. No European country has managed to eliminate discrimination, which substantiates why the fight to end inequality and discrimination needs all the political support it can gather. Awarding EuroPride to Belgrade was and remains the right decision,” the statement said. 

“We are aware that there are threats to the security of protestors, yet we maintain that banning this event outright is not the right solution. The situation of anti-LGBTIQ counter-protests which are often violent is unfortunately not new to Prides and therefore the police response should be swift, efficient and sufficient. Should there be a need, more police should be deployed to ensure the Pride march and surrounding events can effectively take place,” the statement added.