|
(Riga) Days before gays and lesbians in Latvia
were to celebrate gay pride the city of Riga has yanked the rainbow flag out
from under them.
The July 23 march had been approved by the city
council in the Baltic nation's capital but on Wednesday Erik Shkapars, the executive director of Riga
City,
withdrew his permission.
Shkapars said he made the decision following
criticism of the event by Latvian
Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis.
Kalvitis said that
holding a gay procession near the Riga Dom Cathedral - the 13th century cathedral
in downtown Riga - was a sacrilege. Kalvitis also said that the parade would need
tight security, which the state would have to pay for.
His remarks were supported by almost all of the political parties in the Latvian
parliament.
Gays and lesbians from throughout the Baltic had planned to parade in Riga.
The Gay and Lesbian Support Group said it was
outraged and warned that the cancellation could hurt Latvia's reputation as a
tolerant, Western-oriented country.
In June, the mayor of Warsaw banned gay pride
from the Polish capital city. Despite the edict more than 2,500 people
marched anyway. (story)
©365Gay.com 2005
|
