The first ‘Marsz Równości’ (Equality March) scheduled to take place in the city of Lublin, Poland, this weekend has been cancelled, after the city’s mayor cited ‘security concerns’.
According to news reports, regional governor, Przemysław Czarnek, appointed by the ruling Law & Justice (PiS) party, called on Mayor Krzysztof Żuk to cancel the event. Czarnek accused equality demonstrators of “deviance” and “perversion” and said the march promotes “sexual behaviour incompatible with nature” and “pedophilia”, according to the Poland in English website.
President of the European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA), Kristine Garina, said:
“It is deeply depressing that we keep having to have the same conversations about Poland. Opposition to equality marches in Poland has found its way into European case law on the freedom of assembly, and you would think that eight years after Warsaw hosted EuroPride, attitudes would be changing.
But this is not the case. The Equality March this weekend must be allowed to go ahead. Right-wing and homophobic city officials like Mayor Żuk must realise they cannot stand in the way of LGBTI people’s human rights, even when elections are approaching. We will be watching to see what happens this weekend and we demand that this unlawful ban is lifted.”
The European Pride Organisers Association, the international NGO that licences EuroPride and supports the development of the Pride movement in Europe, will be monitoring developments in the coming days.
Further information: Visit the organisers’ Facebook Page and the Facebook Event for the Equality March.
Media enquiries: Please email epoa.eu@gmail.com or call +44 77 29 24 29 46. Interviews can be arranged with EPOA spokespeople.