Zagreb Pride 2007 - Svi na Pride! Sve na Pride! - Everyone to the Pride! (HRT)

Sixth Zagreb Pride with theme „Visibility Right to Public of LGBTIQ persons took place on July 7, 2007. Pride March started at noon from Trg maršala Tita. As was the case so far, participants were surrounded by police cordon. According to our estimate, police was less visibly present around the March, but was located all around in nearby streets. Before the Pride March, police announced through media that Pride will be securing 500 police officers, part of whom in full gear. During the March there were numerous insults, spitting and homophobic comments and provocations made by gathered citizens. Police reacted to some of these incidents. When the March arrived at the main city square, Trg bana Jelačića, and came to a stop there, we noticed something happening and police intervention. Later on it was announced that a group of younger people, minors among them, attempted to throw Molotov cocktails and tear gas at the participants. There is photo documentation that at least one of explosive bottles was already lit. Police took in the attacker and held him but charged only with misdemeanor. It was only after that that State Attorney's Office initiated criminal procedure against Josip Šitum More than 20 marchers had been the target of homophobic attacks around 10 people were hurt, with two needing medical treatment. Police arrested 13 people on a Pride day; five of them were carrying Molotov cocktails. From Monday on 2 more people were attacked and organizers continuously receive death threats on SMS and email. One person so far has been charged for endangering lives of many people and hate crime based on sexual orientation, for planning the attack with Molotov cocktails. This is the first time that someone is being charged with hate crime, provision that was introduced to the Criminal Code in 2006. No other person was charged for other attacks. Zagreb Pride Organizing Committee and LGBTIQ Coordination of Croatia have requested, among other things, from the President of Croatia and the Government to condemn attacks and name them hate crimes and homophobic attacks. Death threats, attacks on LGBTIQ activists have continued the whole previous week. Please read report on police behavior in the station after we all were attacked written by Mitja Blazic from DIH and Ljubljana Pride, "sister pride" of Zagreb Pride.