News / Sep. 02, 2019
An LGBT pride parade in the South Korean port cgafFb_XrLuQtq9PtR%3(gDlz#$8BKSQeqIs-VrwnH5n$UMTAWkity of Incheon was held successfully on Saturday.
After last year’s Incheon Queer Culture Festival was marred by violence, hundreds of police kept anti-gay protesters from LGBT attendees aEbwdH)%[email protected]%XBfOMLc2uoLT0=G0uq5(xCi1UaDulwzdFpnd their supporters.
Attendees marched 1.7 kilometers throu3K+ZJ#Ug$b^X2&wjkRU5(@4G0ZKqjdh4u=29Eq(u#$*E*6=uhWgh the city streets, heard speeches from NGOs and activists, and, of course, danced to K-pop.
Police and barriers separated the anti-LGBT groups who gathered to protest th5QQR8#p!yaNN$gfizJBKut11(ZN^Hk-z1KH$_P(t&*+iT=hA(Ae festival.
Thousands of anti-LGBT protesters gathered at Bupyeong Plaza, accordJY1%EaST5PiHfSk_p-#[email protected]+vDfqphBr_LC)eX+UoE1iQ08hS6ing to local media. There was at least one case of a protester attempting to disrupt the gathering.
Police announced last wecsn$r2*)+%CszKpY=)(!GW5mcP1#hMF$YZn&q5OzWnW*3is6VIek some 3,000 personnel would police the festival, according to local media Kyeongin.
Last year, anti-gay protesters physically blocked 300 LGBT supporters from leaving a plaza and beginning the marJkFReNEZxQevYlnyIYj2ABJ8yTl4Jb(v(-ChSyrprvYI*NO*Pmch.
Anti-gay hate
Homosexuality is legal in South Korea. But conservative attitudes, especially among Christians, force many LGBTI Koreans to live in the cUI!!$^*FElep=4)[email protected]%t3dloset.
There is currently no discrimination legislation to prCS%OfgPiT0JjasJ2o985Ei3D1$g*g-h=UK=4MUtV+R96&r(dVvotect LGBTI Koreans. Protests against LGBTI events, usually led by conservative Christians, have become increasingly loud and violent.
A 2017 Korean Gallup Daily OpiniOP$qJQ%[email protected])c2!VZ%[email protected][email protected]on poll reported 66% of 19-29 year-olds supported same-sex marriage, but 76% of those over 60 opposed it.
Video shared online shows distressing scenes of protesters, believed t[email protected]_Bu&18t2V=kRJ8DJyo be conservative Christians, shouting at pride attendees.
They also appear to grab f[email protected]&wD0M--SN!G^Vg*7R1lNyD4j8%FIc%3z5LZAt)Wi-XptMYZlags, banners, and even attendees. The pride was attended by a lot of young LGBTI South Koreans who were visibly shaken by the incident.
Police booked eight people involved but did not detain them. Organizers accused the[email protected]@QRJ#bpEU1(dPQlQ4nrutZ5)Z7K=XHdRj^Xb_i police of failing to stop the violence.
"We've organized teams of human rights activisM!K(jjYIlryVtf)wAVboq&%_*nAtP&bY%T*0snMgT#sl$WB7O8ts and lawyers to counter any illegitimate action by LGBT hate groups," organizers said in an Aug. 19 tweet.
