Hundreds attend Pride march in Sarajevo

(14 Aug 2021) Hundreds of people attended a Pride march Saturday in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, with organisers saying the LGBTQ community has been further marginalized since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in the impoverished, conservative Balkan nation. A colourful crowd walked through central Sarajevo carrying rainbow flags. The march was held under heavy security, after a large police presence sealed off the area to prevent incidents with counter-protesters. At the same time, dozens of opponents of the pride march held their own gathering in Sarajevo, saying they wanted to defend the country's traditional values from an “aggressive” ideology. No incidents or clashes were reported at any of the gatherings. The Pride march was only the third such event ever in Bosnia, an ethnically divided country that endured a devastating war in 1992-95, which killed over 100,000 people and left millions displaced. Sidelined in the aftermath and frequently discriminated against, Bosnia's LGBT community have urged people to stay strong. Pride organiser Lejla Huremovic told reporters they "have the right to walk these streets...have a right to be visible...have a right to build our families". The group rallied in front of the nation's parliament demanding swift passage of a law on same-sex partnerships and a plan on how to end discrimination and improve the lives of LGBTQ people in Bosnia. The first Pride march in Sarajevo was held in 2019, while last year's event gathered only small numbers because of the pandemic. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...