Police clash with anti-gay protesters in Belgrade

After insisting imposing a hostile foreign culture and sending these professional gay-activists to Serbia and other easter europe countries year after year, what did these "nation-builders" among their donors expect?

I expect that they expected precisely this...

The deplorable violence is great proof we are still a conservative & traditional society. I guess Soros' people wasted their time & money again. Another victory for ascending Serbdom! Ziveli

"Peaceful" religious and/or conservative protesters who want to preserve "Serbian culture", eh? More like the usual hooligans who use every chance for riots and clashes with the police.

Yeah, its really qute to see you vanishing "westernizer" Soros-lovers, cheering and pumping eachother at every provocation against Serbia.

What a great expression of unity from a few boght backstabbers under the dollar sign!

Congrats to LGBT people, the Serbian Govmnt!
From Bologna, Italy

Great thanks to the police for securing the event. I am sorry to hear of mindless violence against them. Serbia's defence of human rights is applauded. Stop Hate. Looking forward to a bigger and better ParaDA 2011!

"After insisting imposing a hostile foreign culture ...."
(Average, 10 October 2010 13:07)
Yes, it's totally hostile, such a parade, and totally foreign, too. I didn't know that Serbia is on the same level as the average Islamic country with their mediaeval traditions.

The hooligans just couldn't miss up the opportunity to try to commit violence and to hate.

I pity them for their hatred and fear, that is no way to live your life.

"The Serbian Orthodox Church condemned the parade on Friday but also warned against violence against participants."

The Serbian Orthodox Church must understand that we are no longer 'in the Middle Ages and ending with the damned beast Inquisition.

politicians must turn against this "ideology" from the Church.

This is pathetic and deplorable. I do not know how you can endorse or stand idly by when acts like this happen anywhere. "hooligan" is too soft a word.

Why are gay parades capable of existing in other orthodox countries like Greece/Russia?

"More like the usual hooligans who use every chance for riots and clashes with the police." (Top)

-- You said it. These mutants don't give a damn about the event, but just see it as another excuse to riot, destroy, and tarnish Belgrade's image. You don't like the Pride Rally? Don't go to it. Don't buy a muffin at their bake sale. But allow it to take place.

Belgrade again burning by the very same people who burnt the whole Balkans. Even the fundamentalistiv popes can be found. The international press has its cameras on it again and what we see just confirms all our experience.

I was at the march. It went well and the police did their job. Attending were 1000 people, many LGBT, some human rights people and those like me, just wanting to have a better atmosphere in Serbia where we can live tolerantly and concentrate on our daily lives. I was really happy it came off and walked back home with a spring in my step.

What about the damages at embassies, namely the Austrian Embassy?

Latest fr the rioting:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/09/world/europe/AP-EU-Serbia-Gay-Pride.html?emc=eta1

What a nightmare! the fact that some of us predicted the violence -- many times -- does not make me feel any better.

there are institutions in that country, long standing, historical institutions, that clearly brought these "hooligans" out in force today. and yesterday, that supposedly pro-family march, was nothing but a fascist gathering: "death to homosexuals" and fascist salutes... that is just the "spontaneous" anger of the serbian people? i do not think so.

i do appreciate the (isolated) bits and pieces of support given to the lgbt comm. in these pages. now you see and feel what it is like to be "dissident."

and as a matter of fact, the "serbian patriots" (and their allies) are much harsher, much nastier w serbian "dissidents" than with us, i've often noted that. we can easily enough be dismissed as "anti-serb," muslim-lovers, imperialist americans... but w/ various serb voices, it is much more threatening...

i continue to find it appalling! that the great dissident intellectuals and belgrade human rights supporters are COMpletely absent from these pages. to a certain extent there is probably self-selection ("why even bother posting there??")but it runs much deeper and we all know it.

fascism is a very, very scary thing. yes, it exists and manifests in many different forms, depending on the culture and country. this weekend we saw it manisfest in belgrade -- "only" a few thousand, but clearly representing a % of popular thought. despite what the press claims, this blgd regime is quite ambivalent about these ideas, and uses hyper-nationalism and xenophobia whenever it suits its purposes.

such ambivalence was made clear, repeatedly, fr various blgd politicians, who let everyone know that they were being forced to allow the lgbt march because of the big bad eu crowd... while the church claimed that the lgbt marchers themselves represented the violence. and then we are surprised by the force of reaction to parade goers? molotov cocktails?!
wake up, people!

again, my love and support to all those who came out to the parade. don't give a damn what you do or don't do in bed, but i do care that you take the time -- and show the courage to support human rights in these very dangerous times, circumstances.

I thank all who have given their support here as well, and willingly taken the requisite abuse. for those who continue to pour flames upon the fires, you are beneath contempt. how many could easily have died today -- words lead to actions... take some damn responsibility.

we have a very, very long way to go.

roberto
frisco

Come on guys, what happend today has nothing to do with the behaviour of human being but rather some sort of animals that would take any chance to riot ! The parade wasn't touch at all, these barbars just went on the police forces, they distroyed all the garbage cans they could, some cars and the DS HQ and they deserved to be treated as the same cans they distroyed, only one place for them, in a stinky cage !!
I was there and ignored the parade since am against this show of, but for the rest it really pissed me off because this is NOT reflecting at all the nice and welcoming Serbian people I know while travelling here for the last 9 years ! I hope that this will now give the govnt the tool to definitely eliminate these few hundreds half human walking in the Bg streets !

thugs smashing a city and smashing their fellow citizens = ascending Serbdom

god, you're a goof highdook.

From an Albanian,

To the people in Serbia who believe in freedom and fight for human rights. Don't give up!

Whatever the subject - hate is wrong. Bigotry is a mind problem.

Those who are violent are the ones who will lose. They are just slow in learning. Hate has done no good to Serbia. However, the good news is that the haters are small in number.

If you have hate in your heart and are a Christian - I suggest that you study better what your religion teaches about your own state of being.

I have no interest in 'Gay' pride (infact I wish to reclaim the word 'Gay' from the realms of slang and return it to its earlier happier poetic meanings). However, I support the freedom to speak and demonstrate.

Freedom of speech is what must win in the end - whatever the cause. Hate is what must lose.

Most of the hooligans are kids who grew up in the 90's, broke, with lot of anger and no hope in their lives. They are an easy prey of ultra-nationalists who cooked the wars in the 90's and many of them still free walking streets of Serbian cities.

Don't get it wrong. Serbia is safe and welcoming.

http://www.ambassador-serbia.com/2010/10/10/can-serbia-ever-be-too-safe-and-too-welcoming/

Frisco, you are a phoney, hiding behind your cloak of great Western tolerance. You do not miss an opportunity to bash anything, and anyone serbian. I wonder what your interest in Serbia is, anyway? Serbia has a long way to go, and a lot more important issues right now, than to have the acceptance of homosexuality forced upon them. Why don't self-proclaimed dissidents like yourself realize this? Maybe you are just too selfish, and want to promote your own agendas, and could give crap about the overall situation in Serbia? It has not been that long since NATO bombs were killing Serbs, and ravaging the country. If you want to have tolerance, then show a little tolerance - especially from your high little perch in the US. It's easy to judge, Roberto, as you so often do, but it's another thing to change and improve things. Roll up your sleeves, pal, and roll up your tongue a bit too. Inflammatory words from people like you, referring to BG politicians as the regime, does nothing good, but continue spiteful rhetoric that will get no one nowhere. Maybe you enjoyed the previous BG regime? I think Serbia has done a lot, and accomplished a lot in the last 10 years. Personally, I could care what lefty-libs like you think. I just dislike the one-sidedness that I always hear from your type. I am proud of Serbia, and the Serbian people. They will survive this blip in the radar too.

Most of the rioters Sunday were young football fans whose groups have been infiltrated by neo-Nazi and other extremist organizations. "These riots obviously have nothing to do with the gay parade or any moral values," said Democratic Party spokeswoman Jelana Trivan. "These are hooligan gangs which must be punished severely." Comments like this make sense, Roberto, not the hate trash you direct at Serbs all the time. You should be ashamed. But who the hell are you, anyway? You are just another, regular Serb hater on B92.

The so called Serb nationals did what NATO could not do,,, they smashed up Belgrade. Ah well, I have said it before and I guess I will say it again " Serbs enemy are Serbs".
Oh! by the way ,I'm Irish, I'm not gay,and I'm in Belgrade at the moment, if any skinheads wishes to come and beat me up just email me and I'll meet you outside McDonald's.!

I thought that Serbia belongs to Europe and not to the Middle East.

seriously don't understand the point in attacking people on the streets just because they have different sexual preferences. Its not like they were trying to convert people by the parade, or were saying that their way is the 'right' way. they were simply putting on a gathering for their community & in vein trying to show the world how much we have grown as a country and a people, yet these 'heroes' came to spoil the party again.


Dont get what it is with them, are they that bored of their own lives that they have to try and ruin others. And the whole idea with the church being behind them is just cringe-worthy. I mean that's not really the idea jesus had in mind if you go by what the book says. It just irritates me that they are so blindly trying to play the good guys who are only 'protecting their families'...yeah by screaming out death chants and hateful nationalist slogans. its hard to argue with westerners and their so called 'uneducated view of the Balkans', when they say we are animals and barbarians. obviously the 21st century hasn't reached all corners of the planet.

"Senior Justice Ministry official Slobodan Homen said that the state response will be "fierce." He said that the city center is covered with surveillance cameras and that the rioters have been identified and many already detained. He said they could face up to eight years in prison."

Exactly that's where those individuals belong.

This was just another staged opportunity for the anti-Serbs to show their contempt for Serbs. What did people expect? The reactions to this "parade" were completely understandable. And now to heap derision on top of contempt, Hilary Clinton is to follow up the show to falsely pose the Serbs as accepting the rape and abduction of Kosovo.

Peace, Serbs, a peaceful brow does not extinguish a flaming heart. Stay away from football and neo-nazis, there must be better ways to fill your hours.

The government saw this coming.

How come they didnt do anything to prevent it ?

Ohhh thats right... Tadic is still bowing to the EU officials.

Serbia is a society where justice has no meaning. During the war, hooligans were set free to go and «fight» in Bosnia. Today, some of them keeps on doing whaat they were doing then.

WHO CAN STOIP THEM?

"Comments like this make sense, Roberto, not the hate trash you direct at Serbs all the time. You should be ashamed. But who the hell are you, anyway? You are just another, regular Serb hater on B92."
(AVoice, 10 October 2010 20:19)
=====================

Yes he is. You must be new to the site if you have to ask this question.

Must say that I am so disappointed at the action of the protestors. The enemy is not a gay person. Serbia has very serious enemies and the anger should be directed at them.
The gays in the parade are most likley the same gays who have cured your son or daughter of an illness, or someone who is ready to give their life for Serbia if need be. Gays are in every part of our life. Every other day the same gays go obout their business doing wonderful things for our society but they don't make a song and dance about it. Have these protestors stopped to consider any of this? Obviously not for they would know how many gays out there they need to be thanful to for so many things.
Your brother or sister might be gay. Your son or daughter might be gay and yes even that doctor who helped you might be gay.
I wish more Serbs would come into 21st century on this one.

Roberto, try as I might to ignore your bigoted outpourings, there are times when it is simply impossible. Today has been a very emotional day in Belgrade but the conclusion is that Serbia - including institutions like the police and the Socialist Party of Sertbia, upon whom the liberal jury was previuously out - has come good and dealt fascism an emphatic defeat. Tell you what, you wallow in your poison on the other side of the world and leave us to celebrate a great victory.
(Dave, 10 October 2010 22:16)

+1 Dave.

Fascism was dealth a mortal blow today on the streets of Belgrade. I hope Dacic and the police throw the book at the neo-nazi scum.

Serbia has no place for these cretins.

What people really don't understand is that the movement can't be about sexuality or gay rights at all. At it's heart, it must be about human rights. It's about a group of marginalized humans who are emotionally and violently abused on a daily basis. A group of people who have every right to personal safety and opportunity as you do.

It's not an issue regarding a personal choice, but one regarding a conscious choice by a whole society. Every person is implicitly responsible for how THEIR society treats THEIR fellow brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends and individuals. Just as there were heavy moral repercussions for Germans in the 40s, Southern Americans in the 50s, it is we who are to be held accountable for Serbia in 2010.

If you choose to not support the parade because your sexual identity doesn't agree, think about your human identity. If you stand on the sidelines while another person's inalienable human rights are being violated, then you are, at best, morally callous. At worst, you're shedding the blood yourself.

I don't understand some of the comments here, You people have to understand that Serbia is not a western country we don't have to have gay pride marches and flaming gay clubs like in Australia, UK, Germany or the USA. Why reform to what the west is doing? as we can see from history what the west do is not right anyway.

If the gay community need to express there sexual orientation there are many different countries where that can do that. Why do it in Serbia your just risking you life.

We just don't want this in Serbia full stop.

First point of being a Serbian is religion.

Second point is carrying on religion and customs to our kids.

If we let guy rights into Serbia we are looking at losing our Identity, look at Australia, UK and USA. there is already lost with gay rights going overboard with rigorous marriage ceremony's. In the bible marriage is between and Man and a Woman full stop but this is what happens when you give an inch. terning the holey sanctuary of marriage into a joke. shame on you, most gays don't believe in religion but yet they pull it along withg them as so called rights.

Go elsewhere and be as flaming as you want.

Roberto, try as I might to ignore your bigoted outpourings, there are times when it is simply impossible. Today has been a very emotional day in Belgrade but the conclusion is that Serbia - including institutions like the police and the Socialist Party of Sertbia, upon whom the liberal jury was previuously out - has come good and dealt fascism an emphatic defeat. Tell you what, you wallow in your poison on the other side of the world and leave us to celebrate a great victory.

Just to put this into a comparative perspective because some people here seem inclined to politicize this as something endemic to all of Serbia:

9 people in New York are accused of torturing 3 people for being gay.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/nyregion/09bias.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=nyregion

2 days later, Republican candidate for NY Governor said in a speech that children should not be "brainwashed" into thinking homosexuality is normal

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/nyregion/11paladino.html?hp

Just in case anyone is thinking such stuff doesn't occur in the freer world.

'First point of being a Serbian is religion.

Second point is carrying on religion and customs to our kids.'

Nonsense Boban. Most Serbs hardly ever go to church. Those of us that do can see that by how empty churches are when we go in.

Secondly you make it sounds as if in Serbian families religion is a compulsory subject for children. It is not, although I agree that customs are passed onto children and the religous aspect through those customs, however, in most Serbian families nothing is forced. This is the way that most families in cities raise their children anyway and as is known the majority of people in Serbia live in towns and cities.

Besides if you are suggesting that those hooligans were god fearing, then how come they were breaking commandments with their stealing and violence a few days ago?

Mike, you give two links to stories in the New York Times but both have key differences from the situation in Belgrade. The first story reported how a small gang attacked three people they thought to be gay. Not thousands of marauding hooligans around downtown New York City – and with the implicit and explicit support of some key civic and religious leaders.

The second article was about a hopeful (not actual) republican candidate, from the tea party right wing movement. His populist rhetoric has meant that his support from the general public is actually declining (but the radical right wingers and fanatics continue to support him!). And look at where he made his homophobic statement – to a gathering of orthodox religious community. Hardly representative of mainstream society! I expect that this nutcase political wannabe will never get elected!

Actually, I congratulate the Serbian police who took care to protect innocent people and prevent further violence. Whilst some will see this violence and hooliganism as another attack on Serbs; in the cold light of day the world will see that that the hooligans and the bigots lost. As Peggy states, we are in the 21st century. I know that voices like hers, Bganon, Liberty, dejan, Avantipopolo and others are the majority of Serbs. People who love their country and reject those that hate and who show intolerance.

Peace and respect to all

GRUK

"The deplorable violence is great proof we are still a conservative & traditional society. I guess Soros' people wasted their time & money again. Another victory for ascending Serbdom! Ziveli"
(highduke, 10 October 2010 14:56)

Really something totally great, something to be proud of, these excesses of "Serbdom".

What people really don't understand is that the movement can't be about sexuality or gay rights at all. At it's heart, it must be about human rights. It's about a group of marginalized humans who are emotionally and violently abused on a daily basis. A group of people who have every right to personal safety and opportunity as you do.

It's not an issue regarding a personal choice, but one regarding a conscious choice by a whole society. Every person is implicitly responsible for how THEIR society treats THEIR fellow brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends and individuals. Just as there were heavy moral repercussions for Germans in the 40s, Southern Americans in the 50s, it is we who are to be held accountable for Serbia in 2010.

If you choose to not support the parade because your sexual identity doesn't agree, think about your human identity. If you stand on the sidelines while another person's inalienable human rights are being violated, then you are, at best, morally callous. At worst, you're shedding the blood yourself.

Serb rules!
In your country you should make your own rules!
Tolerance is a new way to make us soft!

RE; roberto
frisco
(roberto, 10 October 2010 18:34)

Facsism is on your doorstep my friend at the head of your government.

The United States Constitution was built on the principles of God and that is why the United States thrived. Pretty soon songs like God Bless America will be banned from public sites from the likes of the true fascist right which includes the outsiders of society who support the un-natural, feminist, gay and lesbian movement which is trying to make these acts "normal" in the eyes of the public. This has accelerated the porn industry a billion dollar industry which is destroying families all across America.

Greece and Serbia are the last Christian fortresses and through false "Human rights organizations" the attempt is being made to crush the last bastion of Christian Orthodoxy.

Belgrade is not LA or San Francisco and never will be.

"Go elsewhere and be as flaming as you want."

How can gay Serbs do that? White Schengen list only lets them leave Serbia for 3 months.

"First point of being a Serbian is religion. "

You don't get to decide for all Serbs what "Serbian" means.

"Go elsewhere and be as flaming as you want."

How can gay Serbs do that? White Schengen list only lets them leave Serbia for 3 months.

"First point of being a Serbian is religion. "

You don't get to decide for all Serbs what "Serbian" means.
(Danilo, 12 October 2010 11:31)

Your right I don't get to decide for all Serbs what "Serbian" means.

This is just fact.

Being born a Serb means your Orthodox full stop.

You were all quick to jump at me as this is not Serbian behaver.

bganon "Most Serbs hardly ever go to church" this is not really my point thats a life style choice just as being gay is dosen't mean you have to be flaming about it.

bganon "Besides if you are suggesting that those hooligans were god fearing, then how come they were breaking commandments with their stealing and violence a few days ago?" Your right but yet we give police rights to shoot and kill isn't that "breaking commandments" also on breaking commandments there is adultery may I remind you of Clinton, banks take our money without asking, governments take tax out of our pay before we even get it into our bank Accounts. It's 2010 Breaking commandments is now normal as we have let the west rule what is right and wrong. You call it tolerance I call it dumbing the people down making things once not acceptable, acceptable. We don't have to do what the west wants, we have choices.

Where is it OK to have marriage between Man and Man in the bible?

My main point was guy rights going overboard with rigorous marriage ceremony's.

In the bible marriage is between and Man and a Woman full stop. terning marriage into a joke, most gays don't believe in religion but yet they pull it along "so called rights"

I hate repeating my self.

Read my whole comment not just the parts you think you can fight back on.

congratulations to the 1000 courageous people who peacefully demonstated in belgrade for freedom!it's a first step but liberty will always win on obscurantism!

At the end of the day who cares if someone is gay or not? There is no need to protest or get angry about it; it is their own choice. Look at the bright side, there is more available women out there haha

First of all Dear B92 it was not 6000 protesters more like 20,000 and how would you know anyway did someone give you guys a call sheet? I was on the streets couldn't avoid this nonsense! And I could tell anyone that it was a hell of a lot more people then you claim. Clearly the Serbian people do not want such parades. I think the Government should listen to the will of the people and not the will of the EU!

Roberto, u are not any better than these hooligans that I saw today, ur ongoing hatred for whatever is Serb is equal to discrimination, why don't u pass ur way or spread ur venon somewhere else !

I think gay pride parades do an awful disservice to gay people. By and large, homosexuals are normal every day people just like everybody else. They go to work, they love their families, and they’re just like anybody else. The only difference is what they like to do in the privacy of their own bedroom – and that is nobody’s business but their own. Nobody has a right to judge them for that.

I believe it is possible to be accepting of homosexuals without being accepting of gay pride parades. Gay pride parades paint an awful, distorted, and unfair picture of homosexuality. Gay pride parades are public freak shows. They make gay people look like a bunch of degenerate perverts who are wholly defined by their sexuality – and that just isn’t reality for most gay people.

A homosexual person’s sex life does not define who that person is anymore than a straight person’s sex life defines who they are. Sexual preference is just one aspect of a person’s being, and unless you’re having sex with that person, it’s not an aspect of their personality that concerns you in any, way, shape or form.

I don’t want to know what anybody is doing in the bedroom. I think it’s perverted and sick for anyone (gay or straight) to organize a pride parade to celebrate their sex life.

Your sex life is nobody’s business but your own, and nobody has a right to judge you and make you feel ashamed of it. On the other hand, you don’t have the right to expect tolerance and acceptance, if you want to have a parade in the middle of the city to publicly celebrate and take pride in your sex life.

"On another note, these 'hooligans', 'youths', 'nationalists' or whatever you liberals want to call them, are all Serbian.
Look around the rest of Europe...all the other hooligans, youths, etc rioting in other countries, are Muslim. The fact that Serbia still has young people who still care about what is going on around them and are full of energy and passion is something that can be used to make Serbia a better country, unlike the rest of Europe where all energy and passion exists within Islamic youth, and native Europeans youths are silent. "
(Nikolaj, 11 October 2010 06:40

So you think the "energy of passion" the Serbs destroyed property and attacked the police forces, as well as all the "young muslim people" who, for example, throw stones in Kosovo, or burn flags and kill people of other believe in some Muslim countries will make their countries better? Funny! I think it's destructive hate, and these perpetrators neither do themselves a favour nor their country or religion, though they are call themselves "nationalists" or "religious believers".

These events are not spontaneous, as it appears to be cyclic. In other words, the mobs are well organized and have probably some political support. The Serbian society is living the post Milosevic era, which we all know, allowed to criminals with some nationalistic furor to act freely in Serbia itself and bosnia, etc.

We see comments from the politicians that this was predicted to happen. I can not understand why they didn't prevent it from happening. I see a lack of will. There are always some empty promises that those criminals will be put in jail, but next time we see their number is even higher.

Serbian government needs to deal with criminals in a decisive way, in order to be trusted by Serbian people first and the international community.

If I step on a snake, and it bites me...

Who's fault is it?


This 'pride' march was provocative, and anyone who seriously believed this march would go ahead peacefully needs a reality check.

This type of thing is not welcome in Serbia. It never was and it is beyond foolish to think it will be in the future, considering all the other MUCH more important REAL issues Serbia is facing.

On another note, these 'hooligans', 'youths', 'nationalists' or whatever you liberals want to call them, are all Serbian.
Look around the rest of Europe...all the other hooligans, youths, etc rioting in other countries, are Muslim. The fact that Serbia still has young people who still care about what is going on around them and are full of energy and passion is something that can be used to make Serbia a better country, unlike the rest of Europe where all energy and passion exists within Islamic youth, and native Europeans youths are silent.

The police protecting the gay paraders should be in Kosovo protecting Serbs who are in REAL danger.

All violence seen during the parade is entirely the fault of the people participating in the parade, and the Serbian government under Tadic.

Don't step on a snake and then cry when it bites.

Scum.

This shuffling down of homosexuality upon the Serbian people will not work.
Period!
And this is also a strong warning to tadic that patience is running out with him once and for all...
Ten years ago the riots brought down another dictator like Tadic,guess who is next?
Instead of bringing jobs into this country and defending its national interests he is doing everything he can to appease our enemies,sell out our national interests,destroy our economy and bring in homosexuals.
Many greetings to my Serbian bloodbrothers,we have been through much worse things as a nation and we will once again rise up!

Serbia is a society where justice has no meaning. During the war, hooligans were set free to go and «fight» in Bosnia. Today, some of them keeps on doing whaat they were doing then.

WHO CAN STOIP THEM?
(Gladko)
-
Stoip who ?

The whole Serbian Society? Beleive me the Serbian society knows well that the likes of you, would love to extinguish them.

Another failed attempt.

What did they expect as a result of having this parade? Of course the result was going to always happen.

Why even have a parade in the first place? It's a massive waste of time and resources in the first place!

You really showed them bigots by provoking them with a pointless parade. Hope you are happy with yourselves for having a parade, alot of innocent people got injured and your country embarassed.

I'm not sure which group of people are worse, the bigots or the attention seekers?

Excuse me, what are they proud of?

The so called Serb nationals did what NATO could not do,,, they smashed up Belgrade. Ah well, I have said it before and I guess I will say it again " Serbs enemy are Serbs".
Oh! by the way ,I'm Irish, I'm not gay,and I'm in Belgrade at the moment, if any skinheads wishes to come and beat me up just email me and I'll meet you outside McDonald's.!
(Gino)
-
lol.No neeed for skin heads. You have done that to yourself, telling by your comment.

These are the same types that started WW1.

I thought that Serbia belongs to Europe and not to the Middle East.
(Savvas)
-
Ummm.. Serbia IS in Europe. If you are talking about the European Union, your wrong. They never belonged to that, and most def. should never get in that self-destructive machine.

Well maybe some good will come of this, hopefully Serbia won't be able to join the EU and Tadic and his government will be looking pretty stupid when they fail to deliver every one of their election promises.

Watched some videos of "riots". Well I saw exactly the same thing in larger EU cities in the last two years.
The thing is that EU nations are a little more "civilized" and hide this kind of things....if you know what I mean.
Serbs just say how it is. Hooligans, nazis, etc....Belgians on the other hand when they gather up and make a Serb blind just say that a couple of citizens just made an incident...if you know what I mean.

Sorry i meant to say I am Albaninan and not Irish.

From the sounds of this i would say Serbia has indeed become a police state.

Wow... Serbia is gay and violent !

"The Serbian Orthodox Church condemned the parade on Friday but also warned against violence against participants."

The Serbian Orthodox Church must understand that we are no longer 'in the Middle Ages and ending with the damned beast Inquisition.

politicians must turn against this "ideology" from the Church.

"Peaceful" religious and/or conservative protesters who want to preserve "Serbian culture", eh? More like the usual hooligans who use every chance for riots and clashes with the police.

Great thanks to the police for securing the event. I am sorry to hear of mindless violence against them. Serbia's defence of human rights is applauded. Stop Hate. Looking forward to a bigger and better ParaDA 2011!

Congrats to LGBT people, the Serbian Govmnt!
From Bologna, Italy

"After insisting imposing a hostile foreign culture ...."
(Average, 10 October 2010 13:07)
Yes, it's totally hostile, such a parade, and totally foreign, too. I didn't know that Serbia is on the same level as the average Islamic country with their mediaeval traditions.

The hooligans just couldn't miss up the opportunity to try to commit violence and to hate.

I pity them for their hatred and fear, that is no way to live your life.

"More like the usual hooligans who use every chance for riots and clashes with the police." (Top)

-- You said it. These mutants don't give a damn about the event, but just see it as another excuse to riot, destroy, and tarnish Belgrade's image. You don't like the Pride Rally? Don't go to it. Don't buy a muffin at their bake sale. But allow it to take place.

Latest fr the rioting:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/09/world/europe/AP-EU-Serbia-Gay-Pride.html?emc=eta1

What a nightmare! the fact that some of us predicted the violence -- many times -- does not make me feel any better.

there are institutions in that country, long standing, historical institutions, that clearly brought these "hooligans" out in force today. and yesterday, that supposedly pro-family march, was nothing but a fascist gathering: "death to homosexuals" and fascist salutes... that is just the "spontaneous" anger of the serbian people? i do not think so.

i do appreciate the (isolated) bits and pieces of support given to the lgbt comm. in these pages. now you see and feel what it is like to be "dissident."

and as a matter of fact, the "serbian patriots" (and their allies) are much harsher, much nastier w serbian "dissidents" than with us, i've often noted that. we can easily enough be dismissed as "anti-serb," muslim-lovers, imperialist americans... but w/ various serb voices, it is much more threatening...

i continue to find it appalling! that the great dissident intellectuals and belgrade human rights supporters are COMpletely absent from these pages. to a certain extent there is probably self-selection ("why even bother posting there??")but it runs much deeper and we all know it.

fascism is a very, very scary thing. yes, it exists and manifests in many different forms, depending on the culture and country. this weekend we saw it manisfest in belgrade -- "only" a few thousand, but clearly representing a % of popular thought. despite what the press claims, this blgd regime is quite ambivalent about these ideas, and uses hyper-nationalism and xenophobia whenever it suits its purposes.

such ambivalence was made clear, repeatedly, fr various blgd politicians, who let everyone know that they were being forced to allow the lgbt march because of the big bad eu crowd... while the church claimed that the lgbt marchers themselves represented the violence. and then we are surprised by the force of reaction to parade goers? molotov cocktails?!
wake up, people!

again, my love and support to all those who came out to the parade. don't give a damn what you do or don't do in bed, but i do care that you take the time -- and show the courage to support human rights in these very dangerous times, circumstances.

I thank all who have given their support here as well, and willingly taken the requisite abuse. for those who continue to pour flames upon the fires, you are beneath contempt. how many could easily have died today -- words lead to actions... take some damn responsibility.

we have a very, very long way to go.

roberto
frisco

After insisting imposing a hostile foreign culture and sending these professional gay-activists to Serbia and other easter europe countries year after year, what did these "nation-builders" among their donors expect?

I expect that they expected precisely this...

thugs smashing a city and smashing their fellow citizens = ascending Serbdom

god, you're a goof highdook.

Belgrade again burning by the very same people who burnt the whole Balkans. Even the fundamentalistiv popes can be found. The international press has its cameras on it again and what we see just confirms all our experience.

The deplorable violence is great proof we are still a conservative & traditional society. I guess Soros' people wasted their time & money again. Another victory for ascending Serbdom! Ziveli

Come on guys, what happend today has nothing to do with the behaviour of human being but rather some sort of animals that would take any chance to riot ! The parade wasn't touch at all, these barbars just went on the police forces, they distroyed all the garbage cans they could, some cars and the DS HQ and they deserved to be treated as the same cans they distroyed, only one place for them, in a stinky cage !!
I was there and ignored the parade since am against this show of, but for the rest it really pissed me off because this is NOT reflecting at all the nice and welcoming Serbian people I know while travelling here for the last 9 years ! I hope that this will now give the govnt the tool to definitely eliminate these few hundreds half human walking in the Bg streets !

This is pathetic and deplorable. I do not know how you can endorse or stand idly by when acts like this happen anywhere. "hooligan" is too soft a word.

Why are gay parades capable of existing in other orthodox countries like Greece/Russia?

I was at the march. It went well and the police did their job. Attending were 1000 people, many LGBT, some human rights people and those like me, just wanting to have a better atmosphere in Serbia where we can live tolerantly and concentrate on our daily lives. I was really happy it came off and walked back home with a spring in my step.

What about the damages at embassies, namely the Austrian Embassy?

I thought that Serbia belongs to Europe and not to the Middle East.

The so called Serb nationals did what NATO could not do,,, they smashed up Belgrade. Ah well, I have said it before and I guess I will say it again " Serbs enemy are Serbs".
Oh! by the way ,I'm Irish, I'm not gay,and I'm in Belgrade at the moment, if any skinheads wishes to come and beat me up just email me and I'll meet you outside McDonald's.!

Serbia is a society where justice has no meaning. During the war, hooligans were set free to go and «fight» in Bosnia. Today, some of them keeps on doing whaat they were doing then.

WHO CAN STOIP THEM?

Yeah, its really qute to see you vanishing "westernizer" Soros-lovers, cheering and pumping eachother at every provocation against Serbia.

What a great expression of unity from a few boght backstabbers under the dollar sign!

congratulations to the 1000 courageous people who peacefully demonstated in belgrade for freedom!it's a first step but liberty will always win on obscurantism!

"The deplorable violence is great proof we are still a conservative & traditional society. I guess Soros' people wasted their time & money again. Another victory for ascending Serbdom! Ziveli"
(highduke, 10 October 2010 14:56)

Really something totally great, something to be proud of, these excesses of "Serbdom".

Wow... Serbia is gay and violent !

"Senior Justice Ministry official Slobodan Homen said that the state response will be "fierce." He said that the city center is covered with surveillance cameras and that the rioters have been identified and many already detained. He said they could face up to eight years in prison."

Exactly that's where those individuals belong.

From the sounds of this i would say Serbia has indeed become a police state.

From an Albanian,

To the people in Serbia who believe in freedom and fight for human rights. Don't give up!

Serb rules!
In your country you should make your own rules!
Tolerance is a new way to make us soft!

This was just another staged opportunity for the anti-Serbs to show their contempt for Serbs. What did people expect? The reactions to this "parade" were completely understandable. And now to heap derision on top of contempt, Hilary Clinton is to follow up the show to falsely pose the Serbs as accepting the rape and abduction of Kosovo.

Peace, Serbs, a peaceful brow does not extinguish a flaming heart. Stay away from football and neo-nazis, there must be better ways to fill your hours.

"Go elsewhere and be as flaming as you want."

How can gay Serbs do that? White Schengen list only lets them leave Serbia for 3 months.

"First point of being a Serbian is religion. "

You don't get to decide for all Serbs what "Serbian" means.

Frisco, you are a phoney, hiding behind your cloak of great Western tolerance. You do not miss an opportunity to bash anything, and anyone serbian. I wonder what your interest in Serbia is, anyway? Serbia has a long way to go, and a lot more important issues right now, than to have the acceptance of homosexuality forced upon them. Why don't self-proclaimed dissidents like yourself realize this? Maybe you are just too selfish, and want to promote your own agendas, and could give crap about the overall situation in Serbia? It has not been that long since NATO bombs were killing Serbs, and ravaging the country. If you want to have tolerance, then show a little tolerance - especially from your high little perch in the US. It's easy to judge, Roberto, as you so often do, but it's another thing to change and improve things. Roll up your sleeves, pal, and roll up your tongue a bit too. Inflammatory words from people like you, referring to BG politicians as the regime, does nothing good, but continue spiteful rhetoric that will get no one nowhere. Maybe you enjoyed the previous BG regime? I think Serbia has done a lot, and accomplished a lot in the last 10 years. Personally, I could care what lefty-libs like you think. I just dislike the one-sidedness that I always hear from your type. I am proud of Serbia, and the Serbian people. They will survive this blip in the radar too.

Most of the hooligans are kids who grew up in the 90's, broke, with lot of anger and no hope in their lives. They are an easy prey of ultra-nationalists who cooked the wars in the 90's and many of them still free walking streets of Serbian cities.

The government saw this coming.

How come they didnt do anything to prevent it ?

Ohhh thats right... Tadic is still bowing to the EU officials.

If I step on a snake, and it bites me...

Who's fault is it?


This 'pride' march was provocative, and anyone who seriously believed this march would go ahead peacefully needs a reality check.

This type of thing is not welcome in Serbia. It never was and it is beyond foolish to think it will be in the future, considering all the other MUCH more important REAL issues Serbia is facing.

On another note, these 'hooligans', 'youths', 'nationalists' or whatever you liberals want to call them, are all Serbian.
Look around the rest of Europe...all the other hooligans, youths, etc rioting in other countries, are Muslim. The fact that Serbia still has young people who still care about what is going on around them and are full of energy and passion is something that can be used to make Serbia a better country, unlike the rest of Europe where all energy and passion exists within Islamic youth, and native Europeans youths are silent.

The police protecting the gay paraders should be in Kosovo protecting Serbs who are in REAL danger.

All violence seen during the parade is entirely the fault of the people participating in the parade, and the Serbian government under Tadic.

Don't step on a snake and then cry when it bites.

These are the same types that started WW1.

Most of the rioters Sunday were young football fans whose groups have been infiltrated by neo-Nazi and other extremist organizations. "These riots obviously have nothing to do with the gay parade or any moral values," said Democratic Party spokeswoman Jelana Trivan. "These are hooligan gangs which must be punished severely." Comments like this make sense, Roberto, not the hate trash you direct at Serbs all the time. You should be ashamed. But who the hell are you, anyway? You are just another, regular Serb hater on B92.

What did they expect as a result of having this parade? Of course the result was going to always happen.

Why even have a parade in the first place? It's a massive waste of time and resources in the first place!

You really showed them bigots by provoking them with a pointless parade. Hope you are happy with yourselves for having a parade, alot of innocent people got injured and your country embarassed.

I'm not sure which group of people are worse, the bigots or the attention seekers?

'First point of being a Serbian is religion.

Second point is carrying on religion and customs to our kids.'

Nonsense Boban. Most Serbs hardly ever go to church. Those of us that do can see that by how empty churches are when we go in.

Secondly you make it sounds as if in Serbian families religion is a compulsory subject for children. It is not, although I agree that customs are passed onto children and the religous aspect through those customs, however, in most Serbian families nothing is forced. This is the way that most families in cities raise their children anyway and as is known the majority of people in Serbia live in towns and cities.

Besides if you are suggesting that those hooligans were god fearing, then how come they were breaking commandments with their stealing and violence a few days ago?

Whatever the subject - hate is wrong. Bigotry is a mind problem.

Those who are violent are the ones who will lose. They are just slow in learning. Hate has done no good to Serbia. However, the good news is that the haters are small in number.

If you have hate in your heart and are a Christian - I suggest that you study better what your religion teaches about your own state of being.

I have no interest in 'Gay' pride (infact I wish to reclaim the word 'Gay' from the realms of slang and return it to its earlier happier poetic meanings). However, I support the freedom to speak and demonstrate.

Freedom of speech is what must win in the end - whatever the cause. Hate is what must lose.

seriously don't understand the point in attacking people on the streets just because they have different sexual preferences. Its not like they were trying to convert people by the parade, or were saying that their way is the 'right' way. they were simply putting on a gathering for their community & in vein trying to show the world how much we have grown as a country and a people, yet these 'heroes' came to spoil the party again.


Dont get what it is with them, are they that bored of their own lives that they have to try and ruin others. And the whole idea with the church being behind them is just cringe-worthy. I mean that's not really the idea jesus had in mind if you go by what the book says. It just irritates me that they are so blindly trying to play the good guys who are only 'protecting their families'...yeah by screaming out death chants and hateful nationalist slogans. its hard to argue with westerners and their so called 'uneducated view of the Balkans', when they say we are animals and barbarians. obviously the 21st century hasn't reached all corners of the planet.

First of all Dear B92 it was not 6000 protesters more like 20,000 and how would you know anyway did someone give you guys a call sheet? I was on the streets couldn't avoid this nonsense! And I could tell anyone that it was a hell of a lot more people then you claim. Clearly the Serbian people do not want such parades. I think the Government should listen to the will of the people and not the will of the EU!

RE; roberto
frisco
(roberto, 10 October 2010 18:34)

Facsism is on your doorstep my friend at the head of your government.

The United States Constitution was built on the principles of God and that is why the United States thrived. Pretty soon songs like God Bless America will be banned from public sites from the likes of the true fascist right which includes the outsiders of society who support the un-natural, feminist, gay and lesbian movement which is trying to make these acts "normal" in the eyes of the public. This has accelerated the porn industry a billion dollar industry which is destroying families all across America.

Greece and Serbia are the last Christian fortresses and through false "Human rights organizations" the attempt is being made to crush the last bastion of Christian Orthodoxy.

Belgrade is not LA or San Francisco and never will be.

I don't understand some of the comments here, You people have to understand that Serbia is not a western country we don't have to have gay pride marches and flaming gay clubs like in Australia, UK, Germany or the USA. Why reform to what the west is doing? as we can see from history what the west do is not right anyway.

If the gay community need to express there sexual orientation there are many different countries where that can do that. Why do it in Serbia your just risking you life.

We just don't want this in Serbia full stop.

First point of being a Serbian is religion.

Second point is carrying on religion and customs to our kids.

If we let guy rights into Serbia we are looking at losing our Identity, look at Australia, UK and USA. there is already lost with gay rights going overboard with rigorous marriage ceremony's. In the bible marriage is between and Man and a Woman full stop but this is what happens when you give an inch. terning the holey sanctuary of marriage into a joke. shame on you, most gays don't believe in religion but yet they pull it along withg them as so called rights.

Go elsewhere and be as flaming as you want.

Roberto, try as I might to ignore your bigoted outpourings, there are times when it is simply impossible. Today has been a very emotional day in Belgrade but the conclusion is that Serbia - including institutions like the police and the Socialist Party of Sertbia, upon whom the liberal jury was previuously out - has come good and dealt fascism an emphatic defeat. Tell you what, you wallow in your poison on the other side of the world and leave us to celebrate a great victory.

Excuse me, what are they proud of?

The so called Serb nationals did what NATO could not do,,, they smashed up Belgrade. Ah well, I have said it before and I guess I will say it again " Serbs enemy are Serbs".
Oh! by the way ,I'm Irish, I'm not gay,and I'm in Belgrade at the moment, if any skinheads wishes to come and beat me up just email me and I'll meet you outside McDonald's.!
(Gino)
-
lol.No neeed for skin heads. You have done that to yourself, telling by your comment.

This shuffling down of homosexuality upon the Serbian people will not work.
Period!
And this is also a strong warning to tadic that patience is running out with him once and for all...
Ten years ago the riots brought down another dictator like Tadic,guess who is next?
Instead of bringing jobs into this country and defending its national interests he is doing everything he can to appease our enemies,sell out our national interests,destroy our economy and bring in homosexuals.
Many greetings to my Serbian bloodbrothers,we have been through much worse things as a nation and we will once again rise up!

Roberto, u are not any better than these hooligans that I saw today, ur ongoing hatred for whatever is Serb is equal to discrimination, why don't u pass ur way or spread ur venon somewhere else !

Sorry i meant to say I am Albaninan and not Irish.

Roberto, try as I might to ignore your bigoted outpourings, there are times when it is simply impossible. Today has been a very emotional day in Belgrade but the conclusion is that Serbia - including institutions like the police and the Socialist Party of Sertbia, upon whom the liberal jury was previuously out - has come good and dealt fascism an emphatic defeat. Tell you what, you wallow in your poison on the other side of the world and leave us to celebrate a great victory.
(Dave, 10 October 2010 22:16)

+1 Dave.

Fascism was dealth a mortal blow today on the streets of Belgrade. I hope Dacic and the police throw the book at the neo-nazi scum.

Serbia has no place for these cretins.

Well maybe some good will come of this, hopefully Serbia won't be able to join the EU and Tadic and his government will be looking pretty stupid when they fail to deliver every one of their election promises.

Don't get it wrong. Serbia is safe and welcoming.

http://www.ambassador-serbia.com/2010/10/10/can-serbia-ever-be-too-safe-and-too-welcoming/

I thought that Serbia belongs to Europe and not to the Middle East.
(Savvas)
-
Ummm.. Serbia IS in Europe. If you are talking about the European Union, your wrong. They never belonged to that, and most def. should never get in that self-destructive machine.

What people really don't understand is that the movement can't be about sexuality or gay rights at all. At it's heart, it must be about human rights. It's about a group of marginalized humans who are emotionally and violently abused on a daily basis. A group of people who have every right to personal safety and opportunity as you do.

It's not an issue regarding a personal choice, but one regarding a conscious choice by a whole society. Every person is implicitly responsible for how THEIR society treats THEIR fellow brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends and individuals. Just as there were heavy moral repercussions for Germans in the 40s, Southern Americans in the 50s, it is we who are to be held accountable for Serbia in 2010.

If you choose to not support the parade because your sexual identity doesn't agree, think about your human identity. If you stand on the sidelines while another person's inalienable human rights are being violated, then you are, at best, morally callous. At worst, you're shedding the blood yourself.

Serbia is a society where justice has no meaning. During the war, hooligans were set free to go and «fight» in Bosnia. Today, some of them keeps on doing whaat they were doing then.

WHO CAN STOIP THEM?
(Gladko)
-
Stoip who ?

The whole Serbian Society? Beleive me the Serbian society knows well that the likes of you, would love to extinguish them.

Another failed attempt.

Watched some videos of "riots". Well I saw exactly the same thing in larger EU cities in the last two years.
The thing is that EU nations are a little more "civilized" and hide this kind of things....if you know what I mean.
Serbs just say how it is. Hooligans, nazis, etc....Belgians on the other hand when they gather up and make a Serb blind just say that a couple of citizens just made an incident...if you know what I mean.

These events are not spontaneous, as it appears to be cyclic. In other words, the mobs are well organized and have probably some political support. The Serbian society is living the post Milosevic era, which we all know, allowed to criminals with some nationalistic furor to act freely in Serbia itself and bosnia, etc.

We see comments from the politicians that this was predicted to happen. I can not understand why they didn't prevent it from happening. I see a lack of will. There are always some empty promises that those criminals will be put in jail, but next time we see their number is even higher.

Serbian government needs to deal with criminals in a decisive way, in order to be trusted by Serbian people first and the international community.

I think gay pride parades do an awful disservice to gay people. By and large, homosexuals are normal every day people just like everybody else. They go to work, they love their families, and they’re just like anybody else. The only difference is what they like to do in the privacy of their own bedroom – and that is nobody’s business but their own. Nobody has a right to judge them for that.

I believe it is possible to be accepting of homosexuals without being accepting of gay pride parades. Gay pride parades paint an awful, distorted, and unfair picture of homosexuality. Gay pride parades are public freak shows. They make gay people look like a bunch of degenerate perverts who are wholly defined by their sexuality – and that just isn’t reality for most gay people.

A homosexual person’s sex life does not define who that person is anymore than a straight person’s sex life defines who they are. Sexual preference is just one aspect of a person’s being, and unless you’re having sex with that person, it’s not an aspect of their personality that concerns you in any, way, shape or form.

I don’t want to know what anybody is doing in the bedroom. I think it’s perverted and sick for anyone (gay or straight) to organize a pride parade to celebrate their sex life.

Your sex life is nobody’s business but your own, and nobody has a right to judge you and make you feel ashamed of it. On the other hand, you don’t have the right to expect tolerance and acceptance, if you want to have a parade in the middle of the city to publicly celebrate and take pride in your sex life.

At the end of the day who cares if someone is gay or not? There is no need to protest or get angry about it; it is their own choice. Look at the bright side, there is more available women out there haha

Just to put this into a comparative perspective because some people here seem inclined to politicize this as something endemic to all of Serbia:

9 people in New York are accused of torturing 3 people for being gay.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/nyregion/09bias.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=nyregion

2 days later, Republican candidate for NY Governor said in a speech that children should not be "brainwashed" into thinking homosexuality is normal

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/nyregion/11paladino.html?hp

Just in case anyone is thinking such stuff doesn't occur in the freer world.

"Comments like this make sense, Roberto, not the hate trash you direct at Serbs all the time. You should be ashamed. But who the hell are you, anyway? You are just another, regular Serb hater on B92."
(AVoice, 10 October 2010 20:19)
=====================

Yes he is. You must be new to the site if you have to ask this question.

Must say that I am so disappointed at the action of the protestors. The enemy is not a gay person. Serbia has very serious enemies and the anger should be directed at them.
The gays in the parade are most likley the same gays who have cured your son or daughter of an illness, or someone who is ready to give their life for Serbia if need be. Gays are in every part of our life. Every other day the same gays go obout their business doing wonderful things for our society but they don't make a song and dance about it. Have these protestors stopped to consider any of this? Obviously not for they would know how many gays out there they need to be thanful to for so many things.
Your brother or sister might be gay. Your son or daughter might be gay and yes even that doctor who helped you might be gay.
I wish more Serbs would come into 21st century on this one.

"Go elsewhere and be as flaming as you want."

How can gay Serbs do that? White Schengen list only lets them leave Serbia for 3 months.

"First point of being a Serbian is religion. "

You don't get to decide for all Serbs what "Serbian" means.
(Danilo, 12 October 2010 11:31)

Your right I don't get to decide for all Serbs what "Serbian" means.

This is just fact.

Being born a Serb means your Orthodox full stop.

You were all quick to jump at me as this is not Serbian behaver.

bganon "Most Serbs hardly ever go to church" this is not really my point thats a life style choice just as being gay is dosen't mean you have to be flaming about it.

bganon "Besides if you are suggesting that those hooligans were god fearing, then how come they were breaking commandments with their stealing and violence a few days ago?" Your right but yet we give police rights to shoot and kill isn't that "breaking commandments" also on breaking commandments there is adultery may I remind you of Clinton, banks take our money without asking, governments take tax out of our pay before we even get it into our bank Accounts. It's 2010 Breaking commandments is now normal as we have let the west rule what is right and wrong. You call it tolerance I call it dumbing the people down making things once not acceptable, acceptable. We don't have to do what the west wants, we have choices.

Where is it OK to have marriage between Man and Man in the bible?

My main point was guy rights going overboard with rigorous marriage ceremony's.

In the bible marriage is between and Man and a Woman full stop. terning marriage into a joke, most gays don't believe in religion but yet they pull it along "so called rights"

I hate repeating my self.

Read my whole comment not just the parts you think you can fight back on.

Scum.

What people really don't understand is that the movement can't be about sexuality or gay rights at all. At it's heart, it must be about human rights. It's about a group of marginalized humans who are emotionally and violently abused on a daily basis. A group of people who have every right to personal safety and opportunity as you do.

It's not an issue regarding a personal choice, but one regarding a conscious choice by a whole society. Every person is implicitly responsible for how THEIR society treats THEIR fellow brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends and individuals. Just as there were heavy moral repercussions for Germans in the 40s, Southern Americans in the 50s, it is we who are to be held accountable for Serbia in 2010.

If you choose to not support the parade because your sexual identity doesn't agree, think about your human identity. If you stand on the sidelines while another person's inalienable human rights are being violated, then you are, at best, morally callous. At worst, you're shedding the blood yourself.

"On another note, these 'hooligans', 'youths', 'nationalists' or whatever you liberals want to call them, are all Serbian.
Look around the rest of Europe...all the other hooligans, youths, etc rioting in other countries, are Muslim. The fact that Serbia still has young people who still care about what is going on around them and are full of energy and passion is something that can be used to make Serbia a better country, unlike the rest of Europe where all energy and passion exists within Islamic youth, and native Europeans youths are silent. "
(Nikolaj, 11 October 2010 06:40

So you think the "energy of passion" the Serbs destroyed property and attacked the police forces, as well as all the "young muslim people" who, for example, throw stones in Kosovo, or burn flags and kill people of other believe in some Muslim countries will make their countries better? Funny! I think it's destructive hate, and these perpetrators neither do themselves a favour nor their country or religion, though they are call themselves "nationalists" or "religious believers".

Mike, you give two links to stories in the New York Times but both have key differences from the situation in Belgrade. The first story reported how a small gang attacked three people they thought to be gay. Not thousands of marauding hooligans around downtown New York City – and with the implicit and explicit support of some key civic and religious leaders.

The second article was about a hopeful (not actual) republican candidate, from the tea party right wing movement. His populist rhetoric has meant that his support from the general public is actually declining (but the radical right wingers and fanatics continue to support him!). And look at where he made his homophobic statement – to a gathering of orthodox religious community. Hardly representative of mainstream society! I expect that this nutcase political wannabe will never get elected!

Actually, I congratulate the Serbian police who took care to protect innocent people and prevent further violence. Whilst some will see this violence and hooliganism as another attack on Serbs; in the cold light of day the world will see that that the hooligans and the bigots lost. As Peggy states, we are in the 21st century. I know that voices like hers, Bganon, Liberty, dejan, Avantipopolo and others are the majority of Serbs. People who love their country and reject those that hate and who show intolerance.

Peace and respect to all

GRUK