This year’s Belgrade gay parade was held under the slogan “Love Changes the World” without any incidents.
Some citizens welcomed the parade by waving at its participants from their balconies, while others protested, with one holding a Serbian flag and a banner reading “Sodomy should be a crime.”
Officials who took part in the parade included cabinet minister Ana Brnabic, Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali, head of Serbia’s team for negotiations with the EU Tanja Miscevic, Equality Commissioner Brankica Jankovic, as well as chair of the Committee on Human and Minority Rights Meho Omerovic.
DS leader Bojan Pajtic, SDS party official Marko Djurisic, ambassadors of the EU, the U.S., Germany, Italy, and the head of the UNHCR in Serbia also took part. Police cordons were deployed along the route where the parade’s participants passed, with protective railings set up on several locations.
Police officers in riot gear were also seen, along with combat vehicles and members of the mounted police brigade, with a helicopter flying over the centre of the city.