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(Berlin) Gay rights advocates
marched into the auditorium of Berlin's
Humboldt University Thursday as Polish President Lech
Kaczynski was preparing to speak.
LGBT groups have been dogging
Kaczynski in several countries over his opposition to gay
civil rights in Poland.
"Get this man out of the university,"
the protestors chanted as they attempted to make their way to
the stage where Kaczynski was to speak on European affairs.
The Polish leader was protected by his own
security detail and university officials blocked the demonstrators from reaching
the stage, but allowed one of the protestors to speak.
Kaczynski sat impassively as
the protester denounced Kaczynski's views
on homosexuality.
When he finally got to the
podium Kaczynski lashed out at the protestors, and the
university for allowing the demonstrator to speak.
"I taught for 30 years at university but never in circumstances
like this," Kaczynski said.
Last month Kaczynski was met by protestors
in Chicago. (story)
Members of the Gay Liberation Network dogged the Polish leader over two
days in the Windy City.
The former Warsaw mayor was
elected president last year. Both he and his ruling Law
and Justice Party are under a warning from the European Union
over threats to curtail LGBT civil rights.
Last June, while still Warsaw
mayor, Kaczynski refused to grant permission for a gay pride
parade in the capital. (story)
Nevertheless, more than 2,500 people ignored the order and
marched anyway. (story)
In October Kaczynski was
elected President in a campaign marked by frequent homophobic
attacks, prompting the European Union to issue a stern warning
to the government not to try to limit the rights of gays and
lesbians. (story)
The European Commission said
that if the government continues to oppose gay rights Poland
risks losing its voting rights in the EU.
Despite the warning a month
later riot police were used to break up a gay pride parade in
the city of Poznan.
©365Gay.com 2006
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