Tomorrow's gay pride event in Sofia, Bulgaria
has been canceled due to fears of anti-gay violence.
Gay Star News reports:
Organizers of Sofia Pride that was scheduled for tomorrow (22 June) say the event has been canceled due to the insistence of city’s municipality and the Interior Ministry. Since peaceful protests against the appointment of a controversial media mogul as national security head began last week, extremist groups have staged counter-rallies, attempting to provoke protesters for freedom of speech and have clashed with them. Local authorities expressed their concern that these extremists groups may violently attack the Sofia Pride parade. Sofia Pride organizer Mihail Vuchkov has told local media that the event is likely to take place early in autumn, but did not specify a date.
Last year a priest in the Orthodox Church
issued a call for followers to "throw stones" at pride participants. At the first Sofia Pride event in 2008, skinheads attacked parade attendees with Molotov cocktails.
Labels: Bulgaria, gay Pride, Sofia
