Police Used Intimidation to Make Budapest Pride March Impossible
16/07/2010
Submitted by
Budapest Pride
Friday, 16th July 2010
The police were reluctant to draw up cordons, were elusive about how they were going to protect the Gay Pride March and set unrealistic conditions. When organisers held on to their plans, cordons appeared and the police protected the march appropriately in the end. Right wing extremists were attacking not only the march but also the after-party and two men were beaten after the march. Organisers will file a complaint on police behaviour.
Only two hours before the official starting time of last Saturday’s Budapest Pride March, the police officer told organisers at the site of the assembly that no cordons and entry gates will be built, as had been negotiated previously. Budapest Police Chief Tamás Tóth, who arrived at the site somewhat later, modified that statement saying cordons will be built when marchers are in physical danger.
Last year the police provided appropriate protection by closing off the entire route of the march from right wing extremists who wanted to throw eggs, stones and firebombs. “We were trying to convince them that it would be late when the attack begins and that this is an opportunity for right wing extremists to infiltrate the crowd,” said Sándor Steigler president of the organising board of Budapest Pride.
In addition, the police demanded twice the legal minimum of organisers to tend the crowd. Organisers consulted TASZ (Társaság a Szabadságjogokért) a civil rights NGO, who said that the police had no right to ban the march even if the legal minimum is not fulfilled. “The police also demanded on the spot that we have an ambulance, which is not requested by any law. We had a feeling as if the police wanted to sabotage the march,” added László Mocsonaki curator of the organising board.
“Countries where LGBT prides are not allowed are not considered democratic in Europe. If we cancel the march, the police and the conservative government would have been in a very comfortable situation: no gay pride march, which is a plus domestically, and they do not have to face an international scandal because it was not them who banned it,” said Gábor Kuszing of Patent – People Challenging Patriarchy.
Organisers held on to their plans, and the police reacted by building the cordons and the entry gates as discussed earlier. However, they said that local residents and tourists had to be allowed in to the area. “It was impossible to convince them that this means that anyone can come in,” said Mocsonaki. Nevertheless organisers prevented numerous right wing extremists from entering.
“It was a mistake that we did not have the exact place of the cordons entered into the minutes of our negotiations. We have lost our trust in the police, we will have everything written down in the future,” said Steigler.
Four right wing extremists managed to enter the march and halt it by stepping in front of the truck leading the march. However, police quickly apprehended them. “More could have come in” said Steigler.
“In our opinion, the procedure of the police forces protecting the march was appropriate from then on, except for the time of leaving,” said Kuszing, who participated in the march. The police were helping participants leave by metro, but the last train arriving at the end of the march was three quarters full and 4 to 5 right wing extremists were in it. “As they were outnumbered, they did not perpetrate any crime however, they could have followed and beaten participants,” said Kuszing.
Organisers noted additional mistakes in relation to the protection of the afterparty. Although the police sent away six right wing extremists who wanted to enter the party, they told one of the organisers to go up to the Nazis, introduce himself and to send them away personally. In response, one of the Nazis threatened him and the other LGBT people with sending us to gas chambers. “Would the police request a bank clerk to send a robber away personally or is it only queers who are requested to listen to life threats?” objected Kuszing. The protection of the nearby traffic junction was also problematic: while police were posted in the subway, right wing extremists could harass those taking surface transportation undisturbed.
“We know about two further attacks after the march. Two men attacked one of our volunteers at a metro station after the march in the evening” said Mocsonaki. According to an eyewitness, a group of right wing extremists were watching at the metro junction who was coming from the metro line where the march had taken place and followed some people, possibly the volunteer. “The other attack took place on a bus in the early morning where according to an eyewitness, two men in their 20s called a man of about 40 queer and severely beat him up.” Budapest Pride is expressing its compassion to the victims of homophobic violence and is calling on them to contact the organisers for appropriate legal and psychological help.
As has been published earlier, police procedure during the first day of the LGBT Festival was objectionable, as well. Police failed to check the identities of the right wing extremists threatening the Festival, they almost let the youngster who assaulted a participant of the festival go, and only checked his identity instead of apprehending him. And on the contrary: they treated the victim as if he had been a criminal. “Through this, the police sent a message to right wing extremists that you can get away with queer bashing, only your identity will be checked. Among other things, violence against the Pride is rampant because authorities have systematically failed to take a firm stand against homophobic assaults in past years,” explained Kuszing.
The Rainbow Mission Foundation that organises the 15th Budapest Pride and Patent – People Challenging Patryarchy will file a complaint on police behaviour during the festival and the march.
Rainbow Mission Foundation
Patent – People Challenging Patryarchy
The police were reluctant to draw up cordons, were elusive about how they were going to protect the Gay Pride March and set unrealistic conditions. When organisers held on to their plans, cordons appeared and the police protected the march appropriately in the end. Right wing extremists were attacking not only the march but also the after-party and two men were beaten after the march. Organisers will file a complaint on police behaviour.
Only two hours before the official starting time of last Saturday’s Budapest Pride March, the police officer told organisers at the site of the assembly that no cordons and entry gates will be built, as had been negotiated previously. Budapest Police Chief Tamás Tóth, who arrived at the site somewhat later, modified that statement saying cordons will be built when marchers are in physical danger.
Last year the police provided appropriate protection by closing off the entire route of the march from right wing extremists who wanted to throw eggs, stones and firebombs. “We were trying to convince them that it would be late when the attack begins and that this is an opportunity for right wing extremists to infiltrate the crowd,” said Sándor Steigler president of the organising board of Budapest Pride.
In addition, the police demanded twice the legal minimum of organisers to tend the crowd. Organisers consulted TASZ (Társaság a Szabadságjogokért) a civil rights NGO, who said that the police had no right to ban the march even if the legal minimum is not fulfilled. “The police also demanded on the spot that we have an ambulance, which is not requested by any law. We had a feeling as if the police wanted to sabotage the march,” added László Mocsonaki curator of the organising board.
“Countries where LGBT prides are not allowed are not considered democratic in Europe. If we cancel the march, the police and the conservative government would have been in a very comfortable situation: no gay pride march, which is a plus domestically, and they do not have to face an international scandal because it was not them who banned it,” said Gábor Kuszing of Patent – People Challenging Patriarchy.
Organisers held on to their plans, and the police reacted by building the cordons and the entry gates as discussed earlier. However, they said that local residents and tourists had to be allowed in to the area. “It was impossible to convince them that this means that anyone can come in,” said Mocsonaki. Nevertheless organisers prevented numerous right wing extremists from entering.
“It was a mistake that we did not have the exact place of the cordons entered into the minutes of our negotiations. We have lost our trust in the police, we will have everything written down in the future,” said Steigler.
Four right wing extremists managed to enter the march and halt it by stepping in front of the truck leading the march. However, police quickly apprehended them. “More could have come in” said Steigler.
“In our opinion, the procedure of the police forces protecting the march was appropriate from then on, except for the time of leaving,” said Kuszing, who participated in the march. The police were helping participants leave by metro, but the last train arriving at the end of the march was three quarters full and 4 to 5 right wing extremists were in it. “As they were outnumbered, they did not perpetrate any crime however, they could have followed and beaten participants,” said Kuszing.
Organisers noted additional mistakes in relation to the protection of the afterparty. Although the police sent away six right wing extremists who wanted to enter the party, they told one of the organisers to go up to the Nazis, introduce himself and to send them away personally. In response, one of the Nazis threatened him and the other LGBT people with sending us to gas chambers. “Would the police request a bank clerk to send a robber away personally or is it only queers who are requested to listen to life threats?” objected Kuszing. The protection of the nearby traffic junction was also problematic: while police were posted in the subway, right wing extremists could harass those taking surface transportation undisturbed.
“We know about two further attacks after the march. Two men attacked one of our volunteers at a metro station after the march in the evening” said Mocsonaki. According to an eyewitness, a group of right wing extremists were watching at the metro junction who was coming from the metro line where the march had taken place and followed some people, possibly the volunteer. “The other attack took place on a bus in the early morning where according to an eyewitness, two men in their 20s called a man of about 40 queer and severely beat him up.” Budapest Pride is expressing its compassion to the victims of homophobic violence and is calling on them to contact the organisers for appropriate legal and psychological help.
As has been published earlier, police procedure during the first day of the LGBT Festival was objectionable, as well. Police failed to check the identities of the right wing extremists threatening the Festival, they almost let the youngster who assaulted a participant of the festival go, and only checked his identity instead of apprehending him. And on the contrary: they treated the victim as if he had been a criminal. “Through this, the police sent a message to right wing extremists that you can get away with queer bashing, only your identity will be checked. Among other things, violence against the Pride is rampant because authorities have systematically failed to take a firm stand against homophobic assaults in past years,” explained Kuszing.
The Rainbow Mission Foundation that organises the 15th Budapest Pride and Patent – People Challenging Patryarchy will file a complaint on police behaviour during the festival and the march.
Rainbow Mission Foundation
Patent – People Challenging Patryarchy
