There is No Gay Pride in Serbia

After repeated threats of violence from extremist groups, Serbian authorities banned a gay pride parade that was suppose to take place in Belgrade today.

Parade organizers have said the interior ministry told them their event was too risky and security could not be guaranteed, so the event would be prohibited.

The organizers were offered an alternative location, but they refused.

One of the lead oranizers, Dusan Kosanovic stated at a press conference:

“It was not a legal ban, but it was an actual ban. The parade will not happen.”

The biggest worry of the Serbian government was came directly from pressure by several extremist groups who were threatening to repeat the brutal violence which ended Serbia’s only Gay Pride event held in Belgrade eight years ago.

Mladen Obradovic of the extremist nationalist movement ‘Obraz’ stated:

“Everyone knows what will happen if they go ahead with that parade of shame and the organizers will be responsible.”

So, rather than defending the GLBT effort, the Serbian government opted to ban the event.  What really floors me about this is the statement that event organizers would be responsible for violence.  How can you be responsible for an action that someone else committed?