Far-right nationalists attack LGBT event and burn Pride flag
The event was due to be a private event bringing together LGBT activists
By Steve Brown
Far-right nationalists attacked an LGBT event in Ukraine and burnt a Rainbow Flag.
The meeting in the country’s capital, Kiev, was organised by human rights campaigners from Amnesty International as a way to bring together LGBT activists from across the region.
Titled The Offensive Against LGBTI Rights as a Form of Censorship: The Russian Experience was set to be held at a privately-hired venue last week, according to PinkNews.
However, more than 20 far-right group members arrived and started threatening people with violence in an attempt to cancel the event.
Despite being threatened with violence, five police officers refused to intervene to protect the LGBT activists. The activists were able to leave safely after more police arrived but no arrests were made.
Denis Krivosheev, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, said: “Given the police’s repeated inaction over such attacks, it is no surprise that members of Ukrainian far-right groups take full advantage of their impunity – repeatedly attacking individuals and groups whose views or identity they dislike.
“for the authorities in Ukraine to tolerate such incidents – many of which have been violent and resulted in injuries – and fail to prosecute the perpetrators shows a shameful disregard for the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”