№ 72 - THE PRIDE PARADE – ‘VIOLENCE CULTURE’ AND THE OFFENSIVE FROM THE RIGHT
Serbia has been destabilized by organized crime, extreme calls for a Greater Serbia from militarist organizations and enraged sports fans who resemble their striking fist. Having been announced for a long time, Belgrade’s first Pride Parade was finally held on October 10th, 2010, followed by varying assessments and comments. The attempt to hold the parade one year ago had failed due to obstructions from right-wing groups and the Internal Aff airs Minister’s unwillingness to give security guarantees. This year’s Parade was also identified as a high-risk event; however, this time the police had got up the courage to accept responsibility for securing the event. Around 5000 police officers were guarding all important institutions throughout the city, including foreign embassies (especially the US Embassy) and parts of the city where participants of the Parade were gathering.
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