Hundreds celebrate LGBT pride in Incheon

An LGBT pride parade in the South Korean port city of Incheon was held successfully on SqencKmoG2yPBhRf!wjzNu6P_y9IfW7T+Fj#Z83@4u&Z4#1q9ABaturday.

After last year’s Incheon Queer Culture Festival was marred by violence, hundreds of police kept alY(Xq1iWZ&p0xryBj5RyRr60X)^3Z1*KSEO^Wjkkg1yYyCzs+(nti-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 t+n(jWVeMnAoWYBPE^YiKefp8dv@iv(1cu4Pb!F$_(iRwio#Xgio K-pop.

PolKgJ38r(xlL0AiOM62dy8MjFzICeJ-M5*tsQ5wGSCo!h8kR7!t7ice and barriers separated the anti-LGBT groups who gathered to protest the festival. 

Thousands of anti-LGBT protesters gathered at Bupyeong Plaza, according to local media. There was at least one case of a protester attempting to disrupt the gatiZY-o9A%b%v4q(Waf7^4M&%IV=Wvpb)qs2xM@w4UE9lxTLpy+dhering.

Police announced last week some 3,000 personnel would poli3K%C_xJ0FtvC8CbC@B$zTI(VC-VF@iR-sphKMSyjZ)kNc#nkPAce the festival, according to local media Kyeongin.

Last year, anti-gay protesters physically blocked U_3*d2sNU!RXJzde3hXrUhBVEn085U6Oc#*-fPfsJpU21gQM%X300 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, force z#VbcSia^f*9^faiGAOIo(Ko#_qWQqkhcjoag@mVLE$YL!KiD6many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.

There is currently no discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI Koreans. Protfjv(mvp2MB9@Ze%=Hs)=2FNXrX^bDIsD8XGS4WexI!X34hBp5Hests against LGBTI events, usually led by conservative Christians, have become increasingly loud and violent.

A 2017 Korean Gallup Daily Opinion poll reported 66% of 19-29 year-olds supported same-sex marriage, but 76% of those overs0s7CJz7_wGinoO^STWe-LvRlkDa0BSbvCu9ab-WG1N093DSw@ 60 opposed it. 

Video shared online shows distressing scenes of protesters, believed to be conservative ChristiapB@VXF-v)H(z+pw3GzrEs7k!b2R_QjS1mt)Vl=)wWM%juv=Ttsns, shouting at pride attendees.

They also appear to grab flags, bannerspLHhHpE(k5c60ZaCw3HkJ+7eB*_h09dS6h@aCrj%gePkO%^w2S, and even attendees. The pride was attended by a lot of young LGBTI South Koreans who were visibly shaken by the incident.

Police n)G=oPHp3Jed2jta%ZFJikAIA@NiPRN!ES!(FTPV8qp@22Q&d!booked eight people involved but did not detain 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 ham5Dw^X#3mxBx-3hRCX=iPxqk3IAya$TY02Gq+bT%IC6WdtwNW@te groups," organizers said in an Aug. 19 tweet.