Equality and Nationalist Marchers Clash
Police were forced to intervene as violence broke out between gay rights campaigners and ultra-nationalists in Krakow on Saturday.
Both groups held marches through the city centre, each ending at Plac Szczepański. The Marsz Równości (March of Equality) was organised in support of gay, lesbian and bisexual rights. They wanted to raise awareness of homophobia in schools, and to promote same-sex marriages – civil partnerships. Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski (NOP – National Rebirth of Poland) saw participants waving anti-gay posters and shouting nationalist and homophobic slogans.
Although the two marches were separated by an hour and a half, a small group of NOP members had to be restrained by police when violence broke out on Pl. Szczepański. Officers used batons to break up the groups, and order was restored after a few minutes. Marsz Równości later continued on to Plac Wolnica, in Kazimierz.
Pictures: David McGirr
“The Marsz Równości (March of Equality) was organised in support of gay, lesbian and bisexual rights”
Forgot about transgender. One of the most important points of the March pertained to transgender rights.
“Both groups held marches through the city centre, each ending at Plac Szczepański.”
No, our Equality March has started at Plac Szczepański at 2 pm (or was scheduled to start then, in reality it was around 2.30 pm). The NOP’s march ended at Plac Szczepański at 2.30 pm. There was no hours and a half difference. We were there simultaneously, square divided by the line of policemen.
There was no violence “between gay rights campaigners and ultra-nationalists”. The fascists threw firecrackers our way and tried to breach the police line to beat us up, but thankfully they failed. They also threw insults at us. We didn’t respond. We just got out of the way as fast as possible.
Please get your facts right before you publish something.