Brighton and Hove mayor in Pride plea to Belgrade (From The Argus)
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Brighton and Hove mayor in Pride plea to Belgrade
3:00pm Sunday 30th September 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
Brighton and Hove’s Pride parade can be an inspiration to people across the world, according to city leaders.
More than 150,000 people attended this year’s parade before a closed party was held in Preston Park.
While images of the event celebrating LGBT communities were broadcast across the world, city leaders hope it can lead to others to welcome and champion diversity.
Bill Randall, the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, has written to his counterpart in Belgrade encouraging him to ensure this year’s Pride march goes ahead.
Two years ago, far-right groups disrupted the first parade in the Serbian capital since 2001.
Last year the authorities banned the march, fearing the running street battles would be repeated.
In a letter to mayor Dragan Djilas, Coun Randall said: “Pride is now one of the most important events in the city’s calendar.
“It has helped create an atmosphere in Brighton and Hove that makes it possible for gay and lesbian people to make a huge and positive contribution to life in the city.
“My council, the police, the health service and many voluntary groups run special educational projects that help young people who are coming to terms with their sexuality, older gay and lesbian people who face isolation and those living with HIV/Aids.
"Hate crime and homophobic bullying has been reduced. It also has an economic benefit for the city’s hotels, bars, pubs, shops, restaurants and cafes who take more money during Pride weekend than in any other weekend during the year.”
Comments(12)
mustaphaLeeko
says...
6:24pm Sun 30 Sep 12
george smith wrote:According to Sussex Police, a total of 40 directly related to the event (in various categories )....
How many Pride related arrests were there?
Or to put it another way LESS than 0.026% of the people on the parade.
I'd say that was rather good for the largest yearly event in Brighton.
mustaphaLeeko
says...
6:26pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Many of the offences related to theft, drugs, being drunk and disorderly, common assault or affray.
Brighton and Hove Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett said: “Given the sheer size of the event, I would say that the day was a great success and that the vast majority of people who attended had a wonderful weekend and will take home some very fond memories of Pride 2012" : quoted from the pink news website.
So, in other words 0.026% of those who attended which I'd say is exceptionally good for the largest yearly event in Brighton & Hove.
Well done to the organisers, it was a great day out.
PETE OF QUEENS PARK
says...
7:31pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Morpheus
says...
8:17pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Sussex jim
says...
8:29pm Sun 30 Sep 12
PETE OF QUEENS PARK wrote:Serbia is a predominately Muslim country. Bill Randell will get a bloody nose if he's not careful.
Why does Bill Randell need to poke his nose into other countries affairs?
PJW Brighton
says...
9:14pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Sussex jim wrote:Sussex jim, I don't know if you get out of Sussex much, but I think you'll find that Serbia is an Orthodox Christian country. Their previous Government attempted genocide against the muslim communities in Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo.
PETE OF QUEENS PARK wrote:Serbia is a predominately Muslim country. Bill Randell will get a bloody nose if he's not careful.
Why does Bill Randell need to poke his nose into other countries affairs?
Well done Bill Randall for your expression of solidarity with LGBT communities in Serbia. Sadly the only show of unity between Catholic, Muslim and Orthodox leaderships there has been unity in homophobia.
NickBrt
says...
12:03am Mon 1 Oct 12
Lofaplace
says...
3:08pm Mon 1 Oct 12
“I am bitter and angry that they released the one who wanted to take my life.”
~A.Z., 24
After enduring repeated discrimination and abuse from an early age and fleeing to the city of Novi Sad for a better life, I.J. was approached on October 31 by two large men in tracksuits and beaten in the head near his home. He was left unconscious in the street for two hours. No one stopped to help and when he finally awoke, the city’s emergency services refused to send an ambulance to pick him up.
“I do not provoke anyone," says I.J., an activist with Izadji , a local NGO. “I am an effeminate man and since recently I am an activist. Maybe that is what irritates all of these ‘macho men.’”
Though more than half of Serbians say they oppose violence against homosexuals, more than two thirds believe homosexuality is a disease. LGBT Serbians and their allies report that the country’s society is rabidly intolerant of sexual minorities, often equating gays and lesbians with the inhabitants of the doomed Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, painting homosexuality as a Western import bent on destroying the Serbian nation and its Christian religion.
Serbian authorities cancelled this year’s gay pride march in Belgrade, scheduled for October 2, citing concerns about violence. Nationalist extremists and soccer hooligans rioted during last year’s bitterly contended event, the first since 2001, injuring dozens.
Orthodox priests and nuns surrounded the participants, clutching crosses and burning incense as hundreds booed and jeered. Ultimately, thousands of rioters used the march as a jumping-off point for a spree of looting and violence.
.........It certainly sounds more fun than ours.......
PorkBoat
says...
4:09pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Andy R
says...
9:48am Tue 2 Oct 12
PorkBoat wrote:FFS..
What business has the Mayor of Brighton and Hove got telling the Mayor of another city in another country what they should do? Get it into your head, Brighton and Hove are unique. Most places aren't as tolerant and accepting as here, leave them to deal with their own issues, and sort out your own city first.
He's written a letter......
I'm sure that's left him plenty of "sorting out" time spare....
F in L
says...
2:01pm Thu 4 Oct 12
Andy R wrote:I am glad, as there is plenty here! Like getting last years Pride organisers to pay up.
PorkBoat wrote:FFS..
What business has the Mayor of Brighton and Hove got telling the Mayor of another city in another country what they should do? Get it into your head, Brighton and Hove are unique. Most places aren't as tolerant and accepting as here, leave them to deal with their own issues, and sort out your own city first.
He's written a letter......
I'm sure that's left him plenty of "sorting out" time spare....
george smith says...
5:09pm Sun 30 Sep 12