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Riga gay pride under siege by facists (UPDATED)
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UPDATE - Riga-22 July 13.30 hours
LIVE COVERAGE CONTINUES ALL THE DAY
SEE UPDATE AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE
The press conference of the Latvian LGBT group Mozaika in central Riga is under siege today by a mob of 70 fascists who have assaulted people as they tried to leave. The police presence is merely symbolic, being small and inadequate.
One of those assaulted was the openly gay pastor Rev Maris Sants. The Police refused him protection as he went to his car, where he was attacked.
“People attending the press conference had to be rushed out into waiting vans to be ferried away from the baying homophobic сrowd, ” said eye-witness Peter Tatchell of OutRage.
“Earlier at 1100 hours today, the church service Rev Sants held in support of Riga Gay Pride was attacked by a dozen neo-nazis. Worshippers were pelted with shit and rotten fruit. Despite previously requesting police protection, no police were present to protect the congregation. Dutch MEP Sophie In’t Veld was one of the worshippers prevented from leaving the church by the homophobic vigilantes.
“The inaction of the Latvian police is scandalous. They seem to be doing the absolute minmum’ said Mr Tatchell.
Nikolai Alekseev, organiser of the first Moscow gay pride which faced violence on 27 May, who was also present at the press conference, said ”It feels like Moscow all over again. Homophobic mobs are roaming the streets of Riga with apparent impunity”.
As the Mozaika organizers, together with the Tatchell and Alekseev left the press conference, they were followed by facists in a van who pelted their car with eggs.
“Thankfully, they had only eggs, not bricks or guns. It was really scary as they zapped our vehicle. They chased us through the streets until we got to the Reval Hotel Latvia” said Mr Tatchell.
“It is astonishing. We don't feel safe. There is total chaos here. The police seem very weak and disorganized. The fascists are able to act at will” said Nikolai Alekseev, organizer of Moscow Pride.
www.gayrussia.ru
<FONT class=content>
UPDATE - Riga-22 July 13.30 hours
LIVE COVERAGE CONTINUES ALL THE DAY
SEE UPDATE AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE
The press conference of the Latvian LGBT group Mozaika in central Riga is under siege today by a mob of 70 fascists who have assaulted people as they tried to leave. The police presence is merely symbolic, being small and inadequate.
One of those assaulted was the openly gay pastor Rev Maris Sants. The Police refused him protection as he went to his car, where he was attacked.
“People attending the press conference had to be rushed out into waiting vans to be ferried away from the baying homophobic сrowd, ” said eye-witness Peter Tatchell of OutRage.
“Earlier at 1100 hours today, the church service Rev Sants held in support of Riga Gay Pride was attacked by a dozen neo-nazis. Worshippers were pelted with shit and rotten fruit. Despite previously requesting police protection, no police were present to protect the congregation. Dutch MEP Sophie In’t Veld was one of the worshippers prevented from leaving the church by the homophobic vigilantes.
“The inaction of the Latvian police is scandalous. They seem to be doing the absolute minmum’ said Mr Tatchell.
Nikolai Alekseev, organiser of the first Moscow gay pride which faced violence on 27 May, who was also present at the press conference, said ”It feels like Moscow all over again. Homophobic mobs are roaming the streets of Riga with apparent impunity”.
As the Mozaika organizers, together with the Tatchell and Alekseev left the press conference, they were followed by facists in a van who pelted their car with eggs.
“Thankfully, they had only eggs, not bricks or guns. It was really scary as they zapped our vehicle. They chased us through the streets until we got to the Reval Hotel Latvia” said Mr Tatchell.
“It is astonishing. We don't feel safe. There is total chaos here. The police seem very weak and disorganized. The fascists are able to act at will” said Nikolai Alekseev, organizer of Moscow Pride.
www.gayrussia.ru
