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Pm98lUWk8*n1AH@PR@vZkyULNhgftB&CmS(cBG2obVN(N!&Ifmiolice in the South Korean city of Incheon are set to deploy some 3,000 personnel on Saturday to protect an LGBT pride festival and parade.

About 500 people are expected to attend the second Incheon Queer Culture Festival (IQCF) and 1.7-kilometer long pride parade.

Last year, anti-gay protesters physically blocked 300 LGBT supporters frxB*hFsEH3h9$hUnQqtMCWA(@0@Z31XOREttnxI(60u_F2OLsHDom leaving a plaza and beginning the march.

This year, according to local media Kyeongin, 3,000 police will protect LGBT attendees and th#^5F#1r!8zX1YGpy_2Kjmsu581w@uxrWi-tf_#iaQ@xc-kh_Qweir allies.

They will also install barriers to separate anti-LGBT protesters from the =pbqj!4mfk!TpBFp7OU&6udh8nC^J(D=+mSGqv0F+W4nL4uUi&festival.

Responding to concerns over protests earlier this month, organizers said they had prepared teams of rights 5bvSZ4)s$$$Tdc28(@9#F3Fs@QT-4FfTKZw*5tQv3WGJfTxD9xactivists and lawyers to counter hate groups.

Anti-gay hate

Homosexuality is legal in South Korea. L&UKqq5j&x4ba*EYCU+1v#9bUQsgD01H_2x3yOhb5sQy35fdvTBut conservative attitudes, especially among Christians, force many LGBTI Koreans to live in the closet.

There is currently no discriminaty^q17_bkudX_@pEWUDbAFpY5KyiRa1PF2QzkX=5ZE3YXfg5GPIion legislation to protect LGBTI Koreans.

And, human rights groups have warned, protests against LGBTI ev87hy@lnJ@i2+x=lpjfgv6w#ONHUJ-$FIuK^Hu5(LpM^zxF$lXfents, usually led by conservative Christians, have become increasingly loud and violent.

Video shared online of last year's IQQyQp55R!tMzbSv9@hVrY#vcrCmr!53k&85nqfBC&X3N7d*7MBgCF shows distressing scenes of protesters, 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 So=*ps_GPrCeWQaTBrF&%7lqJQ^Y4hi03f#z2uZD1jAYV1QZYfSZuth Koreans who were visibly shaken by the incident.

Police booked eight people involved but did not detain them. Organizers accused the police ofc_tdjF!%esg#s2*&zYc!ZBlsWlMv4x1X_UM&!@)^EtqXN9Wvff failing to stop the violence.