Saturday’s pride parade in Maribor was also accompanied by incidents and violence

A few dozen opponents of the parade came to Trg svobode before the start of the event and unfurled the Slovenian flag as a sign of protest, they wrote in the press release.

During the cultural and artistic program, according to their information, at least two incidents took place not far from Freedom Square, in which parade participants were attacked and reported the incident to the police. They are also aware of at least one attack that took place after the official part of the parade had ended, when the participants had already dispersed around the city.

As the Večer newspaper reports, a well-known Maribor LGBTQIA+ activist, performer and writer was beaten Renata Volkerwho posted a photo of himself in an ambulance on social media with the caption: “The after party is in the emergency room.” After leaving the event, he was attacked by a group of young thugs who kicked and beat him. “I’m worried that I have a broken rib. The worst thing for me is because my mother saw the fight and was shocked,” he told Večer. “It’s good that they attacked me and not someone young, because such events cause trauma,” added Volker.

According to unofficial information, this was not the only riot, apparently it also escalated in front of one of the bars on Main Square.

Impatient comments also circulated on social networks. This is how a young member of SDS expressed his opinion, who claims that he allows everyone to live according to their free will:

News

Police: An unknown suspect slightly injured two people at the Pride Parade video

Only by combining theory and practice will we be on the right track

At the same time, the violence was strongly condemned in the Maribor Youth Cultural Center. “It is important that we react against hatred and discrimination immediately, together and united. At the same time, such events and hateful speech on social networks, of which there is (even) more before the parade, confirm one of the key messages of this year’s Maribor Pride Parade: that parades, with which we draw attention to inequalities in society and to the non-acceptance of differences, are still necessary and that changes from laws must be transferred to society. Laws are important, but social movements are also important. Only by combining theory and practice will we be on the right track, ” they wrote in the press release.

According to their assessment, progress has been made in the field of the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in Slovenia, where they highlighted the legalization of same-sex marriages and joint adoption of children and the lifting of the ban on donating blood for men who have sexual relations with men. But certain rights remain unattainable, and one of the ways to achieve them is through changes in laws, they added.

No violence should be overlooked!

As part of the cultural and artistic program, several speakers took to the stage on Saturday. “One of the most important human rights is that we can (know) who we are. Everywhere. Without fear, without (self) censorship, without assessing the level of threat. And without feeling that simply living our truth is a threat to others. The right to freedom of expression and freedom to be has always been at the forefront of LGBTIQ+ political demands and struggles. It is the central note of all pride parades,” he pointed out in his speech Linn Julian Koletnik from Amnesty International Slovenia and once again called to sign the petition for the right of trans people to self-determination.

pride parade

News

Nina Gaspari: Let’s cheer where no one cheers!

“Now we must hold the government and institutions to their word, loudly warn of any discrimination and together ensure that no violence is overlooked – we must ensure that everyone is aware of what it is like to be an LGBTIQ+ person in Slovenia,” she said Katja Štefanec from the Pride Parade association.

When one day a police escort is no longer necessary…

“As long as the Maribor Youth Cultural Center will meet individuals who cannot live their sexual orientation or gender identity freely in their home, school or work environment, as long as ANTI-LGBT signs and stickers will appear around the city, as long as we can organize a pride parade only accompanied by the police, there are reasons to organize a pride parade in Maribor,” said the director of the Maribor Youth Cultural Center Marja Gucek.

The minister for a solid future also expressed his support for the parade, either in a letter or with a pre-recorded speech Simon MaljevacMEP Matjaž Nemec and initiator of the first pride parade in Ljubljana Tatiana Greif.

There was also violence at the pride parade in Ljubljana in July.