During last weekend's gay parade in Bucharest there occurred threats and violence. The participants were stoned while marching. The many special forces at the place managed to keep it under control, still two policemen were injured. The guardians resisted the attackers in the end. Most of them were young and had gaze tear gases on them. Many of them were taken to police stations and fined. The international press reporting on the event mentions the traditionalism of Romanians. Hundreds of guardians and policemen, criminal investigation officers and special teams watched the participants in 'The March of Diversity'. Disguised gay and lesbians were serenely marching on electro music, indifferent to the danger ahead. Wearing mini skirts and masks as well as eccentric make-up, the sexual minorities wouldn't let themselves discouraged by the rain pouring before the time the march of diversity was to begin. While waiting for a van to fetch sound equipment, groups of homosexuals, lesbians and transsexuals in the making or not were encouraging each other, trying to make the event more colorful, like a marching carnival. Until the march they made lots of pictures while kissing and giving obscene looks to TV cameras. Those who had learned the weather forecast sheltered under umbrellas and hoods, raising banners asking for tolerance such as 'Celebrate Diversity, Respect Rights!" A different poster belonging to the foreign representatives of the Metropolitan Church announced the crowd there that "God Loves US All". For the sake of diversity too other participants approached the matter in historical terms, reminding about the Romanian people's origin. The conclusion? "Gay since Decebal and Traian! " Next to the banner there was a character dressed like a Roman soldier, with his nails (both hand and feet) done red, honoring the sexual diversity of Romanians. Unirii Square under terror Sided by hundreds of guardians and trucks, the almost 300 participants at the Gay Fest headed the Unirii Square slowly. The electoral music made the minorities dance carelessly. Just shortly before reaching the square, the vans got on the participants' right. After passing by Unirea Shopping Center at 6 in the evening, a large group of youngsters tried to come down upon the homosexuals and stones, trash bins, bottles and other of the kind were cast against the guardians. The latter, 13 of them on horseback, grouped together and started the countering. The ambush spread to the whole area and the first tear gases were used, with the authors presently running away. Some of them managed to regroup and attack again. But they stood no chance while facing the special forces who were already detaining people. In the meantime, almost invisible because of the security device, the chain of homosexuals was heading the Constitution Square. Those whom the guardians missed were ceaselessly trying to attack the participants from behind blocks of flats. The special forces dismissed them every time. Guardians' 'crop' Christian Ciocan, a spokesman for Bucharest Police, says two policemen were slightly hurt because of objects thrown by the participants. The march approaching the end about one hour later was also under strain, when the participants reached the Izvor Park and subway. The forces had to take action again and pick more people up. The first 'crop' consisted in 100 people retained by the police, 5 criminal records for people possessing explosives, 70 people fingerprinted and photographed and 50 sanctioned for disturbing public order. (...)

Tudor BORCEA