First Party of Latvia calls not to allow gay and lesbian march
22/05/2006
Submitted by
Juris Lavrikovs
Source: www.delfi.lv, 22 May 2006
Faction of the First Party of Latvia within the Riga City Council called upon Ainars Aksenoks, the Mayor of Riga, and Ēriks Škapars, the Executive Director of the Riga City Council, not to allow lesbian and gay pride march in the central Riga as they do not want further split within society.
Almers Ludviks, ex-mayor and a pastor, said that “the party is not against these [lesbian and gay people] personally and condemns expression of aggression against any person, therefore the party is inviting all Christians not to protest but to gather together for a joint prayer for protection of Christian values”. He also said he does not understand lesbian and gay demands not to be treated differently and at the same time imposing their difference.
“As we saw last year, the only outcome of the lesbian and gay march was split within society. The biggest paradox was that demanding tolerant attitude towards themselves, lesbians and gays and their supporters demonstrated open intolerance towards other opinion. Latvian Christian Church and the First Party of Latvia have been called homophobic but we only gathered just for a peaceful service at the Dome Cathedral”, pointed Ludviks.
Faction of the First Party of Latvia within the Riga City Council called upon Ainars Aksenoks, the Mayor of Riga, and Ēriks Škapars, the Executive Director of the Riga City Council, not to allow lesbian and gay pride march in the central Riga as they do not want further split within society.
Almers Ludviks, ex-mayor and a pastor, said that “the party is not against these [lesbian and gay people] personally and condemns expression of aggression against any person, therefore the party is inviting all Christians not to protest but to gather together for a joint prayer for protection of Christian values”. He also said he does not understand lesbian and gay demands not to be treated differently and at the same time imposing their difference.
“As we saw last year, the only outcome of the lesbian and gay march was split within society. The biggest paradox was that demanding tolerant attitude towards themselves, lesbians and gays and their supporters demonstrated open intolerance towards other opinion. Latvian Christian Church and the First Party of Latvia have been called homophobic but we only gathered just for a peaceful service at the Dome Cathedral”, pointed Ludviks.
