The Equality Parade marched through the streets of Warsaw. Participants demanded further privileges for the LGBT community, including the introduction of so-called same-sex marriages with the right to adopt children. What was perhaps surprising, however, was a large banner at the demonstration aimed at… Donald Tusk. A slogan was also chanted attacking the current government.
Participants in the parade organized by the Equality Parade collective and organizations that support it gathered early in the afternoon. Marszałkowska, between the roundabout Dmowskiego and ul. Świętokrzyska.
The march started around 2 p.m. It was protected by numerous police forces. At the beginning of the march, demands were read out, including: protection against discrimination and exclusion as a state obligation, marriage and civil partnerships are the right of every citizen (including the right to adoption), securing the rights of children raised in the same stands. sexual relations and gender equality as the basis of a democratic state. They sang: ‘There is no freedom without equality’, ‘Equality for all’. On the walkway over the street On Książęca Street, there were banners with slogans: “Great Donald, your government will be overthrown by fags”, “Transition is a law, not a commodity”.
Great Donald, your government will be overthrown by fags!
– sang the participants of the LGBT march.
We propose expanding hate speech regulations to include issues related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender characteristics, as well as effective enforcement of existing regulations. We also call on the media not to legitimize extremely sexist, homo, bi and transophobic views.
– the organizers wrote when announcing the march.
To the sounds of disco and pop music played from various platforms placed on trucks, the parade participants, holding numerous rainbow flags, walked along Aleje Jerozolimskie, through Rondo de Gaulle, and then along Nowy Świat, through the Trzech Krzyży Square and further along Książęca, Kruczkowskiego, Tamka and Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie.
The march ended on the square near the Warsaw Mermaid monument in Powiśle. The Equality Town was active there from early afternoon until the evening, where organizations that support LGBT+ had their stand.
The Warsaw branches of the International Medical Students Association IFMSA-Poland were also present there, whose representatives from the Medical University of Warsaw and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University provided information on protection against sexually transmitted diseases, HIV testing and patient rights.
We received many questions, including: about how and where you can get tested. Many people are often ashamed to talk to a doctor about this topic, but here there was no such barrier
— Joanna Burkacka from IFMSA-Poland told PAP.
Counter-demonstration by the Leven en Gezin foundation
A group of several opponents of the LGBT+ community from the Life and Family foundation (also involved in the fight for a complete ban on abortion) protested in the vicinity of the City of Equality. The demonstrators carried a banner that read ‘Stop deviance’. Separated from the main event by a dozen police officers, they loudly prayed the rosary and chanted slogans, including: about “gay ideology” leading to the demoralization of children. People from the LGBT+ community did not react, there was a picnic atmosphere.
Dispute in the LGBT community
This year it was another Equality Parade in the capital. A week ago, the Equality Parade took place on the streets of Warsaw under the slogan “The time for equality is now”, organized by the Wolontariat Equality Foundation. That parade was attended by, among others: the mayor of the capital, Rafał Trzaskowski, and the minister of digitalization, Krzysztof Gawkowski. As the media previously wrote, arguments between the organizers of the event led to the fact that there was not a single Equality Parade this year.
As you can see, the LGBT community is apparently unhappy with the fact that Donald Tusk has not yet met their demands. By approaching the case closely, Donald Tusk achieved little of his pre-election statements other than taking revenge on his political rivals.
tkwl/PAP/X
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.