Hundreds celebrate LGBT pride in Incheon

An LGBT pride parade in the South Korean port fxoUNM$UrD$BBHfEhfMRPdVTt!YQwV7Kz3T-%tjt8u*GlH_LK&city of Incheon was held successfully on Saturday.

After last year’s Incheon Queer CultuGeN7ahC!yaiqDa751zdQppnfqd2X7pXaJjt)_(rEFPAekA%A!ere Festival was marred by violence, hundreds of police kept anti-gay protesters from LGBT attendees and their supporters.

Attendees marched 1.7 kilometers through the city streets, heard speeches from NGOs and activists, and, of course, danced to Kvoj=z(2HfLdYsF90*v43ieyqClpUA5(EkYgWrdi^l*K5*Z7b5_-pop.

Police and barriers separated the anti-LGBT groups who gathered to proOF-+mPzHDs87^NUmDehhtmIq4Ku_hHsXo8MFpr@z2z5vmE8c-*test the festival. 

Thousands of anti-LGBT protesters gathered at+aG7+p9bh-^SeYehEq79X!)biufRFTao*3_N-g8RS^O^D$nyhW Bupyeong Plaza, according to local media. There was at least one case of a protester attempting to disrupt the gathering.

Police announced last week some 3,000 personnel would po&o&-*TCEQy5*jzs-K(M#h3IolHD(+3z4o8y2P8o3KxXSXSd&P0lice the festival, according to local media Kyeongin.

Last year, anti-gay protesters physicallyEc=p3o9Iz!H+)$Q3uY2aB8XMBK6)ZpI#wqh#j4MS#xr&MzA-Y= blocked 300 LGBT supporters from leaving a plaza and beginning the march.

Anti-gay hate

Homosexuality is legal in South Korea. But conservative attitudes, especially among Christians, for2qTZJRh6DxzXH_eGjR@zFQNltd7KK6eqOiT%Nh5M^l_+Zz#Iz0ce many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.

There is currently no discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI Koreans. Protests against LGBTI events, usually led by conservative Christians, have become increasingly loud and vlXH6qUA2)jrJzx3Z3f%rki)gHC2XZ#LTXkqkLNJr5bQ(f#JB4*iolent.

A 2017 Korean Gallup Daily Opinion poll reported 66% of 19-29 year-oldsnFstw=HSy7ka8S8@6!bUCbZOo6LvaJh0X0G*d!J6nH3Mm_c2T4 supported same-sex marriage, but 76% of those over 60 opposed it. 

Video shared online shows distressing scenes of 7G4+t#o^*gxIzsEWk=*(=3kXa-kC(tMxgZ#$Prz85=85hqQe2oprotesters, believed to be conservative Christians, shouting at pride attendees.

They also appear to grab flags, banners, and even attendees. The pride was attended by a lot of young LGBTI South Koreans who were visibl)Aif5RaxR6)O0K8x%Gss58-3(l%gh+AAYT$AvMSe21v^9$mybUy shaken by the incident.

Police booked eight people involved but did not det7ROYrr7PW_F#WdRI9b+g$vxy*XNC_iSfB&dn5WE!l6b8h8JUPcain them. Organizers accused the police of failing to stop the violence.

 "We've organized teams of human rights activists and lawyers to counter any illegitimate action by LGBT hate groups," organizers said in an Aug. 13s!vav*eH$shWBWZa)nrHtkg-@lWUk)2m9-_w^Az--b)cCXl3h9 tweet.