Several thousand of LGBTQ supporters turned out for the Pride march in Belgrade, where organizers said their demands that the government pass laws to recognize same-sex unions and gender identity remain their top priorities.
Marchers waved rainbow flags as they walked along a route secured by a heavy police presence behind a colorful banner with the phrase "Pride Means People" in Serbian. Several beat drums, while others held posters with phrases such as, “No one is free until everyone is free,” and, “Love wins.”
Four government ministers, including Tanja Miscevic, who is in charge of Serbia's EU integration, took part. "It is a matter of protection of a part of citizens who must be equal in law with other citizens," she said.
The march ended without any incidents after passing by the Serbian parliament building and the building that houses the presidency, pointing out the discrimination and violence faced by LGBTQ people.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in Serbia in 1994, but LGBT people say they still experience repression and violence. Human Rights Watch warned in a report in early 2024 that LGBTQ people in Serbia face intolerance, threats, and violence.
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