People march through Prague during the Pride Parade. Photo: Petr David Josek/AP/dpa
Keystone
Tens of thousands of people marched through the center of Prague on Saturday to demand equal rights for sexual minorities. Rainbow flags dominated the colorful and cheerful procession, but the national flags of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary as well as the blue European flag could also be seen above the crowd. The parade was the highlight of the Prague Pride Festival, which has been going on all week.
The CTK news agency also noticed several hundred people in the demonstration who drew attention to the situation of the suffering population in the Gaza Strip. According to the police, there were no major incidents, although a small group of counter-demonstrators also lined up along the route.
Feeling at home also a goal for LGBT+ people
The organizers chose the question “Where is my homeland?”, borrowed from the Czech national anthem, as the motto for the series of events. On the festival’s homepage, they explained: “Home is more than just a place. It also means a feeling of security, acceptance and togetherness. For LGBT+ people, however, the path to this feeling is still full of obstacles in the form of prejudice, laws or rejection.”
Organization spokesperson Kamila Fröhlichova told the news agency CTK that members of the LGBT+ community were still waiting for full equality in the Czech Republic. The abbreviation LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, while the plus symbolizes intersex, queer and other forms of human coexistence.